Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani on Thursday received UK Ambassador to Iraq Mark Bryson Richardson.

Latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and the importance of the election's preparation process were among main topics of the discussions.

Prime Minister Barzani highlighted the significance of the Kurdish parties’ common stand to achieve Kurdistan’s constitutional rights.

Regarding the election, he showed the Kurdistan Region Government’s willingness to assist the process of election. The Prime Minister said that the election must be held based on an appropriate schedule sometime this year after completing its legal path.

The UK Ambassador also agreed on the necessity for eliminating the obstacles that exist on the path to this year’s election.

Discussions focused on resolving pending issues between the Kurdistan Region Government and Baghdad within the framework of the constitution. Both parties agreed that the federal government needs to approve the budget bill and deliver Kurdistan’s legitimate share of the budget.

The UK Ambassador has also reiterated his country’s support in maintaining peace and security in the Kurdistan Region.

Strengthening ties between Kurdistan Region and the UK, especially in the field of economy, exportation of Kurdistan’s agricultural product, and energy were parts of the meeting, which was also attended by UK Consul General in Erbil, Rosy Cave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/february/pm-masrour-barzani-welcomes-uk-ambassador-to-iraq/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, February 1, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani received today in Erbil the US Consul General to the Kurdistan Region, Mr. Irvin Hicks Jr.

Discussions focused on the latest political developments in the Kurdistan Region and the meetings between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. In this regard, the US Consul General welcomed the dialogue and efforts to resolve the issues of both sides and stressed that the United States attaches great importance to the relations of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with the US.

The reform process and reorganization of the Peshmerga was also discussed at the meeting. President Nechirvan Barzani stressed the importance of the continuity and success of the process and thanked the United States for its cooperation and support. For his part, the US Consul General expressed the importance that his country attaches to the reform and the efforts to speed up the process.

The meeting also discussed the issues between Erbil and Baghdad, preparing the visit of a US business delegation to the Kurdistan Region in the near future, human rights issues, freedom of press, freedom of expression and other issues of mutual interest.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, February 1, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani received United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Mike Bryson-Richardson in Erbil on Wednesday.

The two sides discussed the latest political developments in Iraq, relations between Erbil and Baghdad and the developments in the wider region.

Regarding the situation in the Kurdistan Region, the UK Ambassador welcomed the meeting between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, expressing his country’s support for the ongoing dialogue between the two sides and the resolution of the problems through negotiations.

They also discussed the issue of oil and gas laws, the Iraqi budget and the decisions of the Federal Supreme Court and their negative impact on the political climate in the country. In this regard, Ambassador Bryson-Richardson stressed that his country encourages Erbil and Baghdad to resolve their issues through talks.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-uk-ambassador-2/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, January 25, 2023

The decision of the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, which was issued today and ruled that the payment of financial entitlements and salaries of Kurdistan Region employees by the Iraqi Federal Government in the years 2021 and 2022 is not valid, is a completely unfair and abusive decision. The ruling targets not only the public employees and the people of Kurdistan who are Iraqi citizens, but also the entire political process and stability and the agreement on which the new Iraqi Federal Government is founded.

Iraq went through a long and complicated political process of instability until a government was finally formed in Baghdad which the Iraqi people pinned their hope on for a stable and better future. Every expectation from the Iraqi Supreme Court was that by protecting the interests of all Iraqi communities and by taking into account the political situation, it would avoid distorting the existing opportunity and the current positive atmosphere to resolve the country’s problems, especially the problems between Erbil and Baghdad, and also avoid endangering the political stability of Iraq.

The decision of the Iraqi Supreme Federal Court at this time raises doubts and leaves many question marks. It also raises the issue of urgency in ratifying a new law to reconfigure the Court, which is an important and main part of the agreement among the political parties to form the new Iraqi federal government.

Nechirvan Barzani
The President of the Kurdistan Region

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/a-statement-from-president-nechirvan-barzani-on-the-decision-of-the-federal-supreme-court-of-iraq/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region (GOV.KRD) - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani spoke by phone tonight with White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk.

During the call, the MENA Coordinator reflected on his recent visit to Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, where he met with a number of officials about the next steps to resolve Baghdad-Erbil issues on the budget and other issues. He also stressed the importance of Kurdish unity and improving relations between the KDP and the PUK.

The recent decision by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court to deny the payment of the Kurdistan Region’s share of the budget for the last two months of 2022 was also discussed. PM expressed his disappointment with the Court’s ruling in light of the “positive atmosphere” and improving relations between Erbil and Baghdad. He described the ruling as “politically motivated” and an overreach of the Court’s authority. At the end of last year. Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani made the executive decision to send $260 million owed to the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The US envoy confirmed his country’s support for Peshmerga reforms, developments in the energy sector, infrastructure improvements. and combating climate change.

They both agreed on the need to remove all obstacles to the development of the energy sector, and greater U.S. investment in the Kurdistan region. They concluded the call by agreeing to stay in close contact.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, January 26, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Ankara on Thursday to meet with Turkey’s President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During their meeting, bilateral relations of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with Turkey, the political developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region following the inauguration of the new cabinet of the Iraqi Federal Government were discussed. The meeting also highlighted the Erbil-Baghdad relations and the ongoing negotiations to resolve the pending issues between the two sides.

Both sides stressed their mutual readiness to promote relations between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey in all areas, especially in trade and economic cooperation, and to utilize the existing opportunities to expand the joint partnership of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with Turkey in the field of energy, which can actively contribute to filling the void and addressing the needs in the world today, especially in Europe in the field of natural gas and energy.

Discussions also focused on the importance of strengthening cooperation of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with Turkey to protect border security, the latest developments in the fight against terrorism and the threat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the situation in the wider region and other issues of mutual interest.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-meets-with-president-recep-tayyip-erdogan-of-turkey/

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, January 25, 2023

President Nechirvan Barzani received today in Erbil Ms. Rosy Cave, the new Consul General of the United Kingdom in the Kurdistan Region.

At the meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani welcomed the new Consul General to Kurdistan and congratulated her on assuming the office. The President wished Ms. Cave success and voiced full support for her mission in the country. The President also thanked the UK for their support to the Kurdistan Region in all fields.

From her side, Ms. Cave expressed her full support for further expanding the bilateral relations between the UK and the Kurdistan Region in all areas, and showed readiness to develop cooperation and coordination with all relevant parties of the Kurdistan Region.

Both sides emphasized their mutual willingness to expand the continued cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Kurdistan Region.

They also exchanged views about the latest developments in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region and the wider region.

https://presidency.gov.krd/en/president-nechirvan-barzani-welcomes-the-new-consul-general-of-the-united-kingdom/

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received Tobias Lindener, Minister of State at the German Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The German Minister briefed the delegation on the purpose of his visit to the Kurdistan Region, pointing to the strong ties between the Kurdistan Region and Germany and expressed his country's desire to develop relations with the Kurdistan Region in all fields. He also said that a high-level delegation of German investors, employers and businessmen is scheduled to visit the Kurdistan Region in the near future in order to promote bilateral relations.

The Prime Minister thanked Germany for its continuous support to the Kurdistan Region, especially in the fight against terrorism and within the framework of the international coalition against ISIS. He also appreciated for supporting the reforms of the ninth cabinet, especially in the field of digitalization of public services.

The main topic of the meeting was focused on the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government. In this regard, the Prime Minister reiterated the Kurdistan Region's desire to resolve the issues in a fundamental manner and on the basis of the constitution, and pointed out that the latest decision of the Federal Supreme Court to prevent the remittance of part of the financial entitlements is another unjust attempt by this court to undermine the new opportunity to resolve the issues and the positive atmosphere created during the last visit of the high-level government delegation to Baghdad.

Another topic of the meeting about the importance of implementing the Sinjar agreement, the withdrawal of militias and illegal armed forces, the normalization of the situation in the region and the return of refugees to their places.

January 26, 2023

https://gov.krd/english/government/the-prime-minister/activities/posts/2023/january/prime-minister-barzani-receives-germanys-top-official/