Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – The Outgoing Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Iraq, Ms. Jana Hybaskova, today visited the KRG Department of Foreign Relations to bid farewell and to introduce the first Head of EU Delegation Liaison Office in Erbil, Mr. Patrick Geysen.

On behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Minister Falah Mustafa expressed his full appreciation for the role of Ambassador Hybaskova in the opening of the EU Liaison Office in Erbil.

Minister Mustafa stated, “Your active engagement during your tenure have laid the foundations for collaboration in many areas, and the KRG applauds your contribution.”

The Minister congratulated Mr. Geysen on his appointment and assured him of the support and assistance of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations to ensure the success of his mission in Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Hybaskova thanked the KRG, in particular the Department of Foreign Relations for their assistance to the EU mission in Iraq and stressed that the opening of the EU office in Erbil provides a great opportunity to further consolidate EU-KRG cooperation and partnership in all fields. 

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (dfr.gov.krd) – In the presence of the Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Ambassador of the European Union in Iraq Jana Hybaskova, Head of KRG Foreign Relations Falah Mustafa, several KRG ministers and members of the diplomatic community, today the European Union Delegation Liaison Office in Erbil, Kurdistan Region was officially opened.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms. Federica Mogherini and Ambassador Hybaskova for their important role in the opening of the EU liaison office in Erbil.

“We seek the support of the EU to enhance our system of governance and we believe that the Kurdistan Region is entitled to receive its fair share of assistance from the EU-Iraq Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed on 11th of May, 2012,” Prime Minister Barzani added.

The KRG Prime Minister expressed appreciation and gratitude of the people and the government of Kurdistan to the members of EU for their military and political support during this challenging time. He also called upon the EU members to continue supporting the KRG in dealing with the humanitarian and security challenges facing the region.

The Prime Minister also called for the moral and political support of the EU to the KRG’s effort to gain international recognition of the crimes committed against Yezidi Kurds and other components as acts of genocide. He said, “The international community cannot turn a blind eye to the mass atrocities committed against Yezidi Kurds and other components.”

Ambassador Hybaskova expressed her delight at the opening of the EU Delegation Liaison Office in Erbil and stressed that the opening of the office will be a step forward to further strengthen ties between the EU and the Kurdistan Region.

The EU Ambassador to Iraq highly praised the role of Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS and stated, “The Peshmerga forces are the real force and the only effective force on the ground fighting the ISIS terrorists.”

Commenting on the opening of the EU Office in Erbil, Minister Mustafa said, “We thank the EU for responding positively to the need of opening an office in the Kurdistan Region. We would like to see increased engagement from the EU to support the institutions of the Kurdistan Regional government during this challenging time.”

The Minister also expressed the readiness of the Department of Foreign Relations to fully support the EU mission in Kurdistan Region and to facilitate further cooperation between the KRG and the EU.

Patrick Geysen, Head of the EU Delegation Liaison Office in Erbil stated, “I will do my best to deepen and strengthen the already existing ties between the EU and the Kurdistan Region.”

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, EU ambassador to Iraq Jana Hybaskova, and their accompanying delegation.

The EU officials expressed their appreciation to the people and government of Kurdistan Region, which has accommodated and offered assistance to a large number of refugees and internally displaced people, IDP’s, despite the Region's financial difficulties.

They reiterated their support and assistance to the Kurdistan Region, stressing that they will work for increasing international assistance in order to help easing the Region's financial burden.

In a post on his twitter account, Mr. Christos Stylianides said, “We're committed to support impressive generosity of KRG to IDPs and refugees”.

In the meeting with the Prime Minister, the EU delegation also hailed the role of the Peshmerga forces that have been able to repulse Islamic State terrorist organization, ISIS, forces, and protect the region's population from various religious and ethnic backgrounds.

Prime Minister Barzani thanked the EU officials for their visit, and demanded that they covey the reality of situation in the Region to the related European and international organizations. He called for further assistance to the refugees and IDPs, directly or through the international and local aid agencies.

He praised Ambassador Hybaskova’s role, who frequently visits Kurdistan Region and closely observers the situation on the ground, saying this demonstrates the importance that the European Union accords to the Kurdistan Region.

The two sides also discussed the recent developments in Iraq and the region in general.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq – (DFR.krg.org) – The Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq, Ms. Jana Hybaskova, visited the Department of Relations yesterday where she met with Minister Falah Mustafa, to discuss the humanitarian situation of the refugees from Syria in the region and to announce that the EU is planning to open a European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) in Kurdistan.

This meeting comes days following the visit by the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid & Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, to Kurdistan. Both sides agreed that the Commissioner’s visit was a success and expressed their hope that the visit will help pave the way for further cooperation between Kurdistan and the European Union particularly in terms of the EU providing humanitarian assistance to the refugees and IDP’s currently in the region.

Ambassador Hybaskova spoke about the European Union’s determination in working towards the opening of a European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) in Kurdistan in the very near future. The purpose of this office would be to provide aid and assistance to the Syrian refugees and displaced people from the rest of Iraq who currently reside in Kurdistan.

For his part, the Head of the DFR welcomed the decision by the EU to open an ECHO representation in Kurdistan and expressed the readiness of the DFR to cooperate and coordinate with the office in order to ensure it succeeds in its mission.

Minister Mustafa then went on to discuss the latest political and security situation in Kurdistan and Iraq, and briefed the Ambassador on the latest developments regarding the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad. Minister Mustafa added that it was vital that the Iraqi parliamentary elections are held on schedule and hoped that the EU would contribute by sending international observers to monitor these elections.

Both sides went on to discuss the Syrian crisis and its effects on the region, particularly on a humanitarian level with over a quarter of a million refugees now living in Kurdistan. Minister Mustafa proposed that the Ambassador speak with her EU counterparts in Baghdad, so that they can schedule a visit by all the EU Ambassadors stationed in Baghdad to the Kurdistan Region, to discuss ways in which to further assist the refugees and other issues of importance.