Mogherini in a letter to Barzani offers EU facilitate Erbil-Baghdad talks

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A top EU official on Thursday sent condolences to the victims of the recent earthquake in the Kurdistan Region and expressed readiness to facilitate dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received the Head of the Erbil Liaison Office of the European Union Delegation to Iraq Clarisse Pásztory, who handed Barzani a letter from the EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini, according to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Press office.

In the letter, Mogherini expressed EU’s condolences regarding the Nov. 12 major earthquake that killed nine and injured hundreds of people.

She also expressed her thanks to the outgoing President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani for his partnership and leadership over many years.

“Mogherini said that the EU has been following developments closely with concern, adding that their priority has been to help avoid escalation into violence by any party and to support the efforts being made to find a peaceful resolution to the contentious issues. She elaborated the EU continues to monitor the situation and is providing humanitarian assistance to those in need,” the KRG press statement reads.

She also said that the EU, “Together with its international partners, stands ready to facilitate dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad should such facilitation be requested.”

The EU official expressed her support for the stability of the Kurdistan Region, stating “the unity and stability not just of Iraq but of the Kurdistan Region and of its government institutions as well, is important for the EU.”

Ties between Erbil and Baghdad have considerably deteriorated following the Sep. 25 referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region.

On Oct. 16, Iraqi Forces along with the Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militia launched a military operation and took over Kirkuk and other disputed territories which have been under the protection of the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces in the past few years. Since then, Baghdad has been introducing measures to undermine the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional integrity.

Editing by Sam A.