Presidency of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

President Nechirvan Barzani meets with Iraq’s Prime Minister al-Kadhimi

2020-09-02T10:15:22.000000Z
News
Baghdad, Iraq, September 2, 2020
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Iraq’s Prime Minister Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Baghdad on Wednesday.

In the meeting, which was attended by the Kurdistan Region Vice Presidents, the latest political and security developments in Iraq, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy of the country, and the efforts to contain the outbreak were discussed. The two sides also shed light on the ongoing Erbil-Baghdad talks, which are aimed at resolving the pending issues between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Region. The President and the Prime Minister also discussed the resurgence of ISIS terror activities and developments in the wider region.

Both sides reiterated the importance of cooperation and the participation of all communities and parties in facing the current challenges and overcoming the crises. The President and the Prime Minister agreed that cooperation and coordination between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army are crucial in confronting the threats of terror and the eradication of ISIS.

On the issue of the Erbil-Baghdad disagreements, President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi reaffirmed their support for the continuation of talks to reach a conclusive agreement that will bring an end to all the pending issues in accordance to the constitution. Both sides also agreed that cooperation between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government in all fields is essential to overcome the current impasses.
Prime Minister Kadhimi underlined the significance of restoring trust and stated that the pending issues between Baghdad and Erbil have not properly been addressed. The Prime Minister expressed hope that the two sides take a new and mutual approach to find solutions to the current differences.
On his part, President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated that resolving the pending issues conclusively will serve all of Iraq and restore stability to the country.
Iraq and Kurdistan Region’s relations with the neighboring countries, protecting the border areas, safeguarding the sovereignty of Iraq, and Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi’s recent visit to the United States were also highlighted in the meeting.
Both sides also shed light on the current visit of President Emmanuel Macron of France to Iraq and the mission of the international coalition against ISIS. President Nechirvan Barzani stated that the international community is willing to offer support to Iraq and it is imperative that Iraq benefits from this opportunity.