Qatar lauds Kurdistan Region's progress, ready to develop relations: Ambassador

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Qatari diplomat on Saturday praised progress in the Kurdistan Region, especially in the economic field, expressing his country’s readiness to develop diplomatic and trade relations between the two sides. 

After meeting with the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani, Qatari Ambassador to Iraq Khalid Hamad al-Sulaiti said he had an “appreciation for the progress of the Kurdistan Region’s development and economy,” a statement on the KDP leader’s website read. 

According to the statement, the Qatari ambassador said his country’s government had a sincere desire to “develop relations with the Kurdistan Region.” 

In separate meetings on Sunday, Sulaiti also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani as well as KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

In his meeting with the Kurdish president, the Qatari ambassador affirmed his country’s desire “to further strengthen relations with the Kurdistan Region” and “to invest and operate their capital” in the autonomous region, a statement from President Nechirvan Barzani’s read.

During his meeting with the Kurdistan Region prime minister, Sulaiti noted that Qatari businesspersons are ready to invest in the Kurdistan Region, repeating his “admiration for the progress and urban development taking place in Kurdistan,” a statement on Prime Minister Barzani’s website said.

In March, Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi stated his country’s willingness to develop ties with Qatar as he met with a senior economic delegation from the Gulf state, which suggested a free trade deal with Baghdad.  

Read More: Qatar seeks free trade deal with Iraq in meeting with PM

The meeting was held just days after a similar visit to Iraq by a Saudi Arabian delegation, comprised of various business interests and spearheaded by the kingdom’s commerce minister.

In mid-2017, Saudi Arabia, along with three other Arab states, severed ties with Qatar for its continued dealings with Iran and alleged support of terrorism. 

“Iraq is a friend of all,” Abdul Mahdi said during his meeting with the Qatari delegation, led by Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, according to a statement the prime minister’s office issued. 

“We will not go back to the policies of destructive wars and [polarization].”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany