Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, (KRG.org) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, on Thursday met the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Iraq and Head of UN Assistance Mission in Iraq, UNAMI, Nickolay Mladenov.

A number of key issues were discussed in the meeting, including the plight of internally displaced people and refugees who have taken refuge in the Kurdistan Region. Kurdistan Regional Government’s role in accommodating and assisting them, particularly during the current cold weather, was also stressed in the meeting.

The two sides agreed that given KRG’s limited resources, the Iraqi federal government and the international community have to, urgently play a larger role in helping the displaced and refugees, and that the UN is to urge and encourage the international community to take serious steps in this issue.

Mladenov expressed his satisfaction regarding the recent agreement reached between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government of Iraq on oil export and budgetary issues, and reiterated the United Nations readiness to support this agreement and assist in resolving all the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his hope that this agreement will pave the way to resolving all the issues with Baghdad, adding that it could be regarded as a catalyst for a comprehensive settlement that would be in the interest of all Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

The military situation, the fight against the Islamic State terrorist organization, known as ISIS, and the formation of an Iraqi national guard were topics also discussed in the meeting.

The two sides highlighted the necessity for national reconciliation in Iraq and expressed their hope that the various Iraqi parties will deal with the entire situation in a national spirit.