After the Ba'athist takeover in 1963, Czechoslovakia ended its support for the Iraqi regime and shifted focus towards the Iraqi Communist Party and the Kurds, both of whom were in opposition. Prague established diplomatic ties with the new regime in February 1963, but maintained contacts with the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and Mustafa Barzani. In July 1963, the governing Communist Party of Czechoslovakia adopted policies with the aim of isolating Baghdad internationally, using the Kurds and the communists. Officially, the position of Czechoslovakia regarding Kurdish matters in Iraq was to maintain a position of restraint and not condemn or condone anything. Furthermore, Prague would support the Iraqi government but continue to raise the Kurdish issue internationally to seek a solution and an end to the Kurdish genocide. This was disclosed from a report from 23 July 1963. In this period, Prague did not allow any activity in Iraq that was associated with fighting the Kurds.