Top Kurdistan Region officials receive British Ambassador to Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Stephen Hickey, the British Ambassador to Iraq, met with senior leaders in the autonomous Kurdistan Region on Wednesday in Erbil to discuss the political, security, and economic situation in the autonomous region. 

Earlier in the day, Hickey met with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani where the topic of reform took center stage.

Read More: Reform process ‘ongoing’ to diversify revenues, strong economy, PM Barzani tells British envoy

During his meeting with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani, both spoke at length of “the repercussions of the coronavirus epidemic on public life in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, highlighting the dangers of terrorism and the challenges facing the political process in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” a KDP statement read.

It added that the British emissary praised the recent agreement to normalize the situation in Sinjar (Shingal) between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), saying that he hoped it will be implemented in the near future.

On Friday, federal and regional officials announced that had reached an agreement to restore and normalize the situation in one of the disputed territories, the Yezidi (Ezidi) majority district of Sinjar Shingal, located outside Mosul near the Syrian border.

Read More: KRG and Baghdad reach administrative, security agreement on Sinjar

The statement pointed out that Barzani renewed his support for the government of Mustafa Kadhimi and the Shingal agreement, explaining “the necessary to eliminate the challenges that impede carrying out the agreement and the return of displaced Ezidis to their areas.”

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also received Ambassador Hickey. covering the current status of Erbil-Baghdad talks aimed at resolving protracted disputes, as well as the ongoing threat of Islamic State terrorism, according to a separate statement.

Both stressed the importance of further developing bilateral ties between the Middle Eastern region and the European nation.

They also focused on the role of Britain and other members of the international community “in supporting stabilizing the institutions of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”

Editing by John J. Catherine