Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and senior KRG officials yesterday met with a high-level British delegation in Erbil aimed at expediting humanitarian aid delivery and coordination.

The UK Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, and the Minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood, arrived in Erbil to accelerate provision of humanitarian support for displaced families sheltered in the Kurdistan Region.

Both sides discussed educational, health, and humanitarian challenges facing Iraqi internally displaced people (IDPs) and Syrian refugees now residing in the Kurdistan Region. The KRG, with help from the international community, is providing for the needs of these families. The British delegation noted a decision to increase humanitarian aid and coordinate directly with the KRG and non-governmental organisations in Kurdistan. The delegation also noted the importance of working closely with the relevant United Nations agencies.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani emphasised that the Kurdistan Regional Government, despite enormous financial difficulty, has managed to come to the rescue of displaced people and refugees who have sought shelter in the Kurdistan Region. He stressed that the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) terrorist organisation cannot be allowed a foothold anywhere in Iraq, calling for further coordination between the KRG and Baghdad in combating the terrorists and providing humanitarian aid for IDPs in Kurdistan, where Baghdad should take on a more active role.

Minister of Interior Karim Sinjari, Minister of Planning Dr Ali Sindi, Minister of Health Dr Rekawt Rashid, Head of Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa, and KRG Representative to the UK Bayan Rahman also attended the meeting on behalf of the KRG.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with the commander of the United States General Command General Lloyd Austin in Salahaddin on Wednesday.

The President and the US General discussed the military campaign currently underway against the ISIS terrorists and the military support of the US to the peshmerga forces. President Barzani thanked the United States and other countries for their military and humanitarian support of the KRG and added that thanks to this support, the peshmerga forces have now got the initiative against the terrorists.

General Austin recognized the role of the peshmerga forces in the fight against the ISIS terrorists and reaffirmed continued US support for the peshmergas.

The two agreed that ISIS is a threat to the whole region and the world, and that confronting it needs international efforts and cooperation.

President Masoud Barzani met with the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif in Erbil on Tuesday. The two discussed the fight against ISIS terrorists, government formation process in Baghdad and other issues of mutual concern.

Foreign Minister Zarif stated that the Islamic Republic would always stand by the Iraqis, including the people of Kurdistan, against terrorism, adding that the terrorism is a threat everyone, be it Shia, Sunni or Kurds. He further added that it is in the interest of Iran to fight terrorism.

President Barzani expressed his gratitude to the Islamic Republic for their support in the fight against terrorism, and hope that relations between the two sides would continue to grow. He added that terrorism is a threat to all, and that cooperation is needed by all sides to address this threat.

On government formation in Baghdad, Mr Zarif expressed his country’s desire to see an inclusive government formed in Baghdad and urged the Kurds to actively play their role to help form such a government. He said the Islamic Republic would support any agreement reached between Baghdad and Erbil.

President Barzani stated that he supports the efforts to form an inclusive government in Baghdad, adding that there must be guarantees regarding any agreements reached between Erbil and Baghdad.

President Masoud Barzani met with the visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brendein Erbil on Tuesday. The President and the the Norwegian Foreign Minister discussed the fight against ISIS terrorists, the humanitarian plight of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi IDPs, and government formation process in Baghdad.

President Barzani thanked the Norwegian Foreign Minister for his visit and said that this visit demonstrates Norway’s solidarity and support for the Kurdistan Region. Address the plight of hundreds of thousands of IDPs is beyond the capacity of the KRG and there is a dire need for international support and cooperation, said the President.

Foreign Minister Brende said he is visiting to show his country’s solidarity and support to the people of Kurdistan in their struggle against terrorism, adding that the KRG can depend on Norway for both humanitarian and military support. He further added that his country has already provided 25 million US dollars for the humanitarian crisis and it intends to provide an additional 10 million.

Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with a senior UK government delegation to discuss the humanitarian crisis facing the Kurdistan Region and the threat of ISIS terrorism.

Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening, and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Tobias Ellwood, expressed UK government’s support and solidarity with the people and government of the KRG, and added that their government would continue to support the KRG in dealing with the humanitarian crisis facing the Region and also militarily in confronting the ISIS terrorists.

Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening praised the generosity of the people and government of KRG for sheltering and helping large numbers of Iraqi IDPs and Syrian refuges who have sought refuge in Kurdistan. She said that the UK government has committed to provide 23 million British pounds in aid for these IDPs and refugees.

The UK ministers also hailed the progress and development that has been achieved by the KRG over the past ten years, and describing this as a shining example in Iraq, they added the UK government would continue to support this development and progress.

For his part, President Barzani expressed his gratitude for this visit and show of solidarity from the UK government. He stated that the KRG needs international assistance to look after some 1.2 million IDPs and refugees in Kurdistan. The KRG also needs military assistance to confront the ISIS terrorists, added the President.

President Barzani and the UK ministers also discussed the government formation prospects in Baghdad and both sides stressed that meaningful change is required if the many challenges facing the country are to be addressed. The President said the Kurds are seriously working with other sides to form a genuinely inclusive government in Baghdad as soon as possible.

United States Vice President Joe Biden spoke with the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani on Sunday to discuss security and political challenges facing Iraq.

The US Vice President praised the recent successes of the peshmerga forces against the ISIS terrorists and reiterated US government support for them. On the political process in Baghdad, he expressed his government’s hope that a new government can be formed on sound basis and one which can revive trust and can address all the challenges facing the country.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (krp.org)- The Kurdistan Region Presidency strongly condemns the cowardly act of beheading the American journalist, James Foley, by the terrorists of ISIS. This shameful act serves as a reminder of the cruelty of the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  The Kurdistan Region Presidency is hereby extending, on behalf of the people of the Kurdistan Region, condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Foley and the government of the United States of America.

Nazem Dabbagh the representative of KR of Iraq in Tehran concerning the future of central government of Kurds says if Iraq is willing, as usual Kurds will play their role and be a part of the solution but the problem. As recently the delegation of the Region Government presented in Baghdad and the Kurdish representatives of the parliament participated in the first meeting and took legal oath. In addition by this Kurdish authority’s saying, as of a yet Kurds have not taken any decision to announce their independence. If they in some regions took action against ISIS, it was for the army frightened by extremists emptied those places and it was just Pishmregas who remained there. Mosallas Weekly ran an interview with Mr. Dabbagh and sought for some aspects of current security situation in Iraq.

In his view the occupation of some regions of Iraq by ISIS has changed the security conditions. He continued: whilst security forces of Iraq left the regions under dispute according the article 140 of constitute it was the Pishmergas only remained there to protect them and resisted. He also added Kurds have not stated their independence yet and added that if ISIS attack the region Kurds will resist. In addition to this claim that Iraqi Kurds took advantage from this happened situation to gain independence was rejected by him, said such phrases are put by those who have been unsuccessful to manage Iraq.

In a response to question he replied that Turkey seeks for his advantages in Iraq, even though he stated ISIS will attack Turkey in the future as well. Concerning peace talk of Turkey with P.K.K he said apparently the peace is smelt from these talks, therefore we should wait till the outcomes of the negotiation emerge.

Concerning the conditions of Mosul and Kirkuk in the case of being separated from Iraq Dabbagh said this condition will be stated at the time of forming the new government. About the budget of KRG of Iraq in the region under dispute he also said that this budget is being prepared through selling oil since the central government stopped paying the budget. At the end Dabbagh said: I completely surely say if Iraq wants, as usual Kurds will play their role and be a pet of the solution but the problem. The only way to transit out this crisis is agreement, compatibility, mutual respect, to be one-handed and real and actual participatory government away from tribal and national dogmatisms and to obedient to the constitute of Iraq and following the agreements that lead Iraq to peace and friendship.