Kurdistan’s President and Prime Minister discuss Iraq’s poli

[Aslan]

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (KRG.org) – President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani last week received the US Ambassador to Iraq, Robert Beecroft, to discuss finding solutions to the Kurdistan Region’s ongoing differences with Baghdad.

In his meeting with Ambassador Beecroft, President Barzani said the Kurdistan Region believes that only through meaningful dialogue can Iraq’s current crisis be ended, and is working to initiate consultation meetings in Erbil with other Iraqi sides.

They discussed the problems facing Iraq’s political process and efforts by President Barzani to bring Iraq’s political groups together in Erbil and to find lasting solutions to key challenges facing the country.

President Barzani said he will continue his efforts to engage with other Iraqi leaders to find a resolution to the current political crisis. Ambassador Beecroft said Washington welcomes and fully supports President Barzani’s efforts.

The President and the US Ambassador also talked about the situation of Syrian refugees in Kurdistan. Ambassador Beecroft said that according to their data, 91% of Syrian refugees in Iraq reside in Kurdistan, and Washington deeply appreciates the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for continuing to accept Syrian refugees and providing humanitarian aid to them. So far more than 95,000 Syrian refugees live in Kurdistan, according to the UNHCR.

In a separate meeting with Ambassador Beecroft, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani reiterated his commitment to dialogue and peaceful means to resolve the differences with Baghdad. Both Erbil and Baghdad should resort to the Iraqi Constitution to resolve differences, he said. He also spoke of the possibility of visiting Baghdad to discuss the disagreements.

The US Ambassador assured the Prime Minister of his support to both sides to finding peaceful solutions to the disagreements.

Ambassador Beecroft was accompanied by the US Consul General in Erbil, Mr Paul Sutphin. The KRG’s Head of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa, attended both meetings. He said of the US ambassador’s visit, “We welcome the support from the US for finding a lasting solution to the current political crisis. It is important that our allies continue to engage with Iraq, and encourage Iraq to stay on the path of democracy, federalism and adherence to the constitution.”

Dr Fuad Hussein, the President’s Chief of Staff, and Minister Mustafa attended the meeting with President Barzani. Dr Hussein, Minister Mustafa, the Minister for Natural Resources Dr Ashti Hawrami, the Minister for Coordination and Follow-up Qubad Talabani, and the KRG Spokesman Safeen Dizayee attended the meeting with the Prime Minister.