Kurdistan delegation lobby world leaders for peaceful resolution with Baghdad

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation met with some senior world leaders on Thursday on the sidelines of the 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

The KRG delegation consists of Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Chief of Staff to the Kurdistan Region Presidency Fuad Hussein, and the KRG’s head of Foreign Relations Department Falah Mustafa, and is led by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.

The Kurdish officials met with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for the first time since the Kurdistan Region held a historic referendum on independence in September 2017, after which Baghdad imposed a series of collective punitive measures, to discuss current tensions between Erbil and Baghdad, according to the KRG press office’s statement.

Tillerson lauded efforts in the ongoing talks between the Iraqi and Kurdish governments and expressed US support for the negotiation process and the respect of the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region.

Barzani brought the US official up to date on the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region and his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. “The steps taken so far have been positive, but they should lead to effective results and continue until we reach a solution,” he said.

“Our partners should encourage dialogue and a peaceful solution,” Barzani added.

The delegation also brought to attention the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region as well as the importance of ongoing American support for reforms in the region, especially for changes in the administration and financial situation in the KRG.

They also discussed the upcoming elections in Iraq, the mechanism by which Erbil and Baghdad can jointly manage disputed territories, and the fight against the Islamic State (IS).

The delegation also met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who spoke of the need for a dialogue to continue between Erbil and Baghdad, the Netherlands’ support to Kurdistan Region, the post-IS situation, the upcoming elections in Iraq, and Erbil-Amsterdam bilateral ties.

Barzani stressed the importance for the KRG to be a part of the Reconstruction of Iraq Conference to be held in Kuwait next month, stating that the Kurdistan Region should be able to benefit from that aid as it considerably suffered in the fight against IS.

The KRG delegates met with German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen. The German official reiterated that Germany supports a peaceful resolution of disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, within the framework of the Iraqi Constitution.

She added that Germany supports the respect of the constitutional rights of Kurdistan, saying that the stability and security of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region is in the interest of all. “Thus,” she said “Germany’s partners in the international community also support the talks between the Kurdish and Iraqi governments.”

Barzani noted that official talks are the start to resolving all issues with the Iraqi government, with some problems perhaps being addressed ahead of the upcoming Iraqi elections on May 12.

The KRG delegation also met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss bilateral ties between the two nations. Le Drian mentioned that France would participate in the February Reconstruction Conference in Kuwait and that he would visit Erbil and Baghdad.

Barzani also met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden Isabella Lövin, who stressed that a political solution in Iraq was “critical” in the post-IS era, according to the KRG’s press release.

Resolving issues within the framework of the constitution of Iraq, the IDP and refugee situation in Kurdistan, Sweden’s military and humanitarian support to Kurdistan, and upgrading Swedish representation in the Kurdistan Region were also topics discussed during the meeting.

In their meeting with Geert Bourgeois, the Minister-President of Flanders, the KRG delegation discussed furthering bilateral ties, namely economic ones, between the two nations.

Barzani also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Davos, exploring bilateral ties and talking about Canada’s support to the Kurdistan Region as a member of the US-led coalition in the fight against the jihadist group.

In a statement to Kurdistan 24, Barzani stated that the meetings were “productive” and an “important exchange of opinions with world leaders.”

He added that the KRG would host additional meetings with Baghdad to resolve certain issues before the elections, namely salaries to the KRG employees and the lifting of the international flight ban on the Kurdistan Region’s airports imposed after the Sep. 25 referendum on independence.

Barzani added that there would be more meetings with senior foreign officials in Davos on Friday.

The KRG delegation in Davos previously met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, and UN officials.

Editing by Nadia Riva