Presidency of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

President Nechirvan Barzani meets with Vatican Foreign Minister

2024-02-17T14:21:32.000000Z
International relations News
Munich, Germany, February 17, 2024

President Nechirvan Barzani met with Vatican Foreign Minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday afternoon.

The discussions primarily focused on the Vatican's relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as the current situation of the religious and ethnic communities in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan Region. The political and security landscape in Iraq, Erbil-Baghdad relations, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and the broader regional situation were also addressed.

During the meeting, Archbishop Gallagher expressed the Vatican’s readiness to strengthen ties with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. He commended the positive conditions for minority communities and peaceful coexistence in the Kurdistan Region, emphasizing that His Holiness the Pope holds the Kurdistan Region in high regard.

President Nechirvan Barzani, in turn, expressed gratitude to the Vatican for its unwavering support to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. He paid tribute to His Holiness the Pope and reiterated the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to protecting peaceful coexistence, mutual acceptance, and tolerance.