Prime Minister Barzani meets top Turkish leaders

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – On a one day visit to Istanbul, a Kurdistan Regional Government senior delegation headed by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday met separately with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

They discussed the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and the war against ISIS, as well as the anticipated liberation of the City of Mosul.  On economy and trade, they also discussed bilateral relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, ways to ease the financial crisis in the Kurdistan Region, and the formation of Iraq’s new cabinet.

The Turkish President and Prime Minister stressed the need for all the Iraqi parties to reach agreement and settle the differences through dialogue and mutual understanding. With regard to the liberation of the City of Mosul, they deemed it necessary that the international coalition, the Iraqi army, the Peshmerga, and the people of the City of Mosul constitute the participating forces in the operations.

Within the framework of the Kurdistan Region’s continuing efforts to develop and strengthen its relations with neighbouring countries, Prime Minister Barzani stressed the importance of relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey.

He also discussed his recent visit to Baghdad and his meetings with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, and President of the Republic of Iraq Dr. Fuad Masum, as well as with a number of other Iraqi officials

He expressed his hope that all Iraqi parties will unite their efforts in order to be able to address the financial crisis and eliminate the Islamic State terrorist organisation.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.