Archive for month: August, 2016

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani concluded a two-day visit to Baghdad after meeting top Iraqi leaders.

During his talks in Baghdad, the Prime Minister reiterated his government’s position to solve all outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad through dialogue.

Prime Minister Barzani and his accompanying delegation on Monday met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi. The war against terrorism, especially the expected operation to liberate the city of Mosul, oil issue, bilateral ties, future relations and arrangements were discussed during the meeting.

Prime Minister Barzani and his delegation today met Iraqi President Fuad Masoum. The Prime Minister briefed President Masoum on the outcome of his talks with the head of the Iraqi government.

Mr. Barzani later met the Speaker of Iraqi Parliament Saleem Al-Jubori and a number of senior Sunni politicians. Both sides highlighted the importance of Sunnis’ participation in the operation to librate Mosul from the so-called Islamic State terrorist organisation.

During his visit to Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region delegation also met the United States envoy to Iraq, and leaders of Iraq’s main political parties.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) -  Kurdistan Region President, Masoud Barzani, arrived Turkey on an official visit to meet a number of Turkish senior officials.

On Tuesday President Barzani met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

He is accompanied by Kurdistan Regional Government Spokesperson, Safeen Dizayee and Kurdistan Region President’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Fuad Hussein.

In a statement to the KRG website, Mr. Dizayee said the aim of the visit is to exchange views on the latest developments in the region.

The war against Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS, the anticipated operation of Mosul liberation, and the internal situation in the Kurdistan Region were discussed in the meetings.

Mr. Dizayee said that the two sides stressed the development of relations between Kurdistan Region and Turkey.

Today, President Barzani is due to meet the Speaker of the Turkish parliament and a number of members of parliament, including Kurdish parliamentarians.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met with the new German ambassador to Iraq Franz Joseph Crimp and his accompanying delegation.

Ambassador Crimp expressed his happiness to observe the prevailing stability in the Kurdistan Region, for which he highlighted the role of its people, government and Peshmerga forces, who have been able to protect the Region against terrorism.

He reiterated that his government will continue supporting the Kurdistan Region in the military and humanitarian fields, and expressed willingness to develop further and strengthen the relations between the two sides.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked Ambassador Crimp for his visit and expressed his gratitude for the German government, as part of the international coalition forces, for its support and assistance to the Kurdistan Region in difficult and challenging periods at both military and humanitarian levels.

The two sides exchanged views on the political situation in Iraq, the anticipated liberation of Mosul and its aftermath, and the economic situation in Kurdistan Region.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – The Department of Foreign Relations today hosted a special session for the KRG Board of Environmental Protection and Improvement and the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency to brief diplomats on their activities, challenges, and needs.

Minister Falah Mustafa, Head of the KRG Foreign Relations, opened the session by welcoming the diplomats and representatives of the UN agencies and international organizations. The Minister stressed that environmental protection and land mine clearance have always been on the agenda of the KRG and hoped that the session would open lasting channels of communication and cooperation between the two KRG institutions and the foreign representation offices in Kurdistan.

Head of the KRG Board of Environmental Protection and Improvement, Mr. Abdurrahman Hama Raza, gave an overview of the state of the environment in the Kurdistan Region and KRG’s efforts to implement environmental protection measures and improve environment. Mr. Hama Raza highlighted the needs and challenges of the Board and called for technical assistance in order to implement the necessary measure required for securing a clean and safe environment. Mr. Hama Raza’s remarks were followed by a presentation in which the activities of the Board were presented.

Head of the Iraqi Kurdistan Mine Action Agency (IKMAA), Mr. Mohammed Ismael, briefed diplomats on the formation, structure and the mission of IKMAA. He spoke of the challenges facing the IKMAA, the difficulties facing the Agency to defuse improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the areas liberated by Peshmerga forces, and the need for international support. Mr. Ismael called upon the international community to help IKMAA clear the remaining minefields in the Kurdistan Region and to demine the areas liberated from ISIS so that the displaced people would return to their hometowns.

On behalf of the diplomatic corps, the Consul General of Jordan, Haitham Abu Alfoul, who serves as the acting dean of the diplomats, commended KRG’s efforts in protecting the environment and clearing land mines in the Kurdistan Region, stressing that environmental protection and landmine clearance is a shared responsibility.

During the meeting, several diplomats and representatives exchanged their views on the activities of both institutions and expressed readiness to look into the means and ways of supporting the KRG Board of Environment and IKMAA.