Rajoub in Irbil

Jibril Al-Rajoub told reporters in Irbil that the Iraqi government had taken a decision that Palestinians would receive the same treatment as Iraqis, but for "naturalization, since the issue is closely related to our return (to Palestine) and the resolutions by the Arab League." He said that Talabani had agreed to establish a mechanism linking the Palestinian community, the embassy and the presidential bureau to achieve an element of safety and stability for Palestinians in Iraq.

On the key issue of evacuating Palestinians to Kurdistan he said: "Resettling Palestinians in Iraqi-Kurdistan, which is dear to us, is not at all considered.. neither an intention nor on the Palestinian agenda. I neither discussed such a matter with Al-Talabani, nor with Iraqi-Kurdistan president Masoud Al-Barzani"

He stressed: "Palestinians have never been part of Iraq's domestic policy, neither were they part of the aggressive foreign policy (of the former regime), either against Iran or Kuwait, or even Kurds." Finally he noted that measures are underway to open a Fatah office in Kurdistan.