‘Kurdistan holds a special place in my heart,’ UN chief tells PM Barzani

The premier and Guterres also discussed KRG’s ambitious reform agenda.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in Erbil, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in Erbil, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani that Kurdistan “holds a special place in my heart,” according to a statement. 

PM Barzani met with Guterres in Erbil on Thursday afternoon as part of the UN’s top chief visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. 

Praising the development and reconstruction in the Kurdistan Region, SC Guterres described the “struggle and sacrifices of the Kurdistan Region” as “unforgettable.”  He hoped that the Region would remain “strong and united” and that the issues between Erbil and Baghdad would be resolved once and for all. 

PM Barzani thanked the UN's top diplomat for his long-standing support for the Kurds and stressed the need for greater support from the international organization to address the “fundamental solution” for the ongoing issues between Erbil and Baghdad.  

"Today it helps us explore common ground with Baghdad, consolidating our stake at a federal level, while supporting our endeavors at home," Barzani told Guterres.

The premier and Guterres also discussed KRG’s ambitious reform agenda, and the implementation of the Sinjar Agreement, which requires removing the militia and outlawed groups from the area, to enable the internally displaced people to return to their homes, the statement added. 

The importance of protecting the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region was emphasized by both sides.

For the first time in six years, Secretary-General Guterres arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday night. He met with the country’s top leaders and described his two-day visit as a “solidarity” for the country. 

Before flying to Erbil on Thursday, the UN chief visited an IDP camp in the Nineveh province. He praised Iraq’s efforts to repatriate its citizens from Syria’s Al-Hol Camp, which houses tens of thousands of families suspected of ties to ISIS. 

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right) shaking hands with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right) shaking hands with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in Erbil, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (top right) during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (top right) during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in Erbil, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right) during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right) during his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres in Erbil, March 2, 2023. (Photo: KRG)