Massoud Barzani... hereditary head of the Kurdish Democratic Party, maybe a little too close to the Medes and the Persians for most people's tastes...
, has returned from an announced trip to Italy. He met with the President of the Italian Senate to discuss bilateral relations between Iraqi and Italy, and the Pope, with whom he discussed the status of Christians in Iraq.
In his absence, the second-largest Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah and surrounding areas, were rocked by anti-government protests, in which at least 8 people were killed - including two young boys.
Demonstrators have protested what they called widespread corruption and persistent cronyism, and a lack of basic services such as reliable electricity, in the oil-rich region.
Tension has soared between opposition and pro-government groups, as branches of the opposition political party, The Movement for Change, were vandalized and set on fire across the region.
Mr Barzani made only an oblique reference to the opposition party.
The President also insisted that any comparison with recent events in the Arab world are misplaced, as Iraqi Kurdistan is a functioning democracy.
President Barzani slightly played down the existence of corruption, and said that the constant accusations were unhelpful - but pledged to take real measures and work hard personally on its eradication.
Barzani also returned to nationalists themes, such as the position of the disputed city of Kirkuk,
... a thick stew of Arabs, Turkmen, Kurds, and probably Antarcticans, all of them mutually hostile most of the time...
and reasserting some Kurds' longing for independence from Iraq, without actually saying that he wishes it to come about.
Barzanis' speech will certainly satisfy his supporters, as observers say, it' not clear yet if it has gone any way towards making peace with the opposition or the protesters.