The IU delegation included Pedro Marcet member of the European Parliament and head of the IU external relations department, Jose Cabu, the IU coordinator of foreign affairs and Jose Tavas, member of the Spanish Parliament and the IU foreign spokesman. Intensive talks were held between the IU delegation and a delegation of the Iraqi Communist Party ICP comprising Labid Abbawi, Dr Hassan Akif, Mufid Al-Jazaeri and Samir Said.

The talks centered on conditions in Iraq and Spain as well as regional and international developments. The IU delegation also met with leading representatives of the Kurdistan Communist Party headed by Karim Ahmed. The two sides discussed in depth present conditions in Iraqi Kurdistan.

During their stay in the region of Kurdistan the IU delegation met with Masoud Al-Barazani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party – KDP and Jalal Al-Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK, leading figures from the two parties also took part in the meetings.

The IU delegation was received by Jawher Namuq Salim, speaker of the Kurdistan parliament and other deputies.

The IU delegation was acquainted during these meetings with the KDP and PUK positions and proposals for peace and national reconciliation in Iraqi Kurdistan as well ways and means to promote international support for the Kurdish people in Iraq.

The IU delegation visited camps of Kurdish refugees who have recently been forcibly deported from their home province of Kirkuk by the Iraqi dictatorial regime. The Spanish delegation saw for themselves the dire conditions of those displaced and listened to first-hand accounts of hardships and the inhuman treatment, they received upon their deportation. The delegation expressed sympathy with the detainees and the deportees desire to go back to their homes and towns and support for the demand to end the chauvinistic deportations carried out by the Iraqi regime. The IU delegation emphasized the need to provide aid and support to alleviate the refugee’s plight.

During their positive and fruitful talks in Iraqi Kurdistan the IU delegation had the opportunity to be closely acquainted with the situation in Iraq as a whole and conditions in Iraqi Kurdistan and to have a better understanding of the policies and positions taken by the Iraqi opposition parties and their struggle.

The Iraqi Communist Party highly appreciates the initiative taken by the Spanish IU to visit Iraqi Kurdistan in a gesture of solidarity and with the struggle of our Party and Iraqi people against dictatorship and for democratic alternative. The ICP delegation expressed solidarity and support for the Spanish people's struggle against unemployment, for a 35 hour working week and in defence of the people’s standards of living against the neo-liberal policies of the ruling right, for a federated Spain and a European Union that will serve as a force for peace and human rights.

The IU delegation reiterated support for the Iraqi people’s struggle for democracy and respect of human rights in Iraq. It expressed understanding for the ICP’s stand and support for its struggle to have economic sanctions against Iraq lifted in the interests of the Iraqi people and to mobilize all national potentials against dictatorship for freedom, democracy and social progress.

The IU delegation stressed its support for the Kurdish people’s struggle to win their just national rights and appealed to the two major Kurdish parties to press ahead with the peace process until national reconciliation is achieved in the interests of the Kurdish people and their aspiration for stability and security.

The IU delegation lauded the policy pursued by the Kurdish Communist Party – Iraq and expressed solidarity with its struggle.

The talk also dealt with bilateral relation between the Spanish IU and the Iraqi Communist Party. The two sides agreed on the need to further strengthen their ties and continue bilateral contacts in the future.