Kurdistan and Russia agree to expand relations: Spokesperson

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss bilateral relations, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Spokesperson Safeen Dizayee said on Wednesday.

Erbil and Moscow agreed to strengthen and expand their political, economic, energy, social, and security cooperation, Dizayee told Kurdistan 24.

Putin expressed Russia's support for the Kurdistan Region in the meeting, which came following the military parade on Red Square in honor of Russia's 1945 victory as one of the chief Allied powers of World War II over Nazi Germany. 

Barzani was officially invited by Moscow to attend the event.

During their discussions, Putin and Barzani covered bilateral relations from the time of the Soviet Union to the present day.  Also discussed were the means to develop political and economic relations, Dizayee said, adding that the KRG is keen to strengthen its relations with both Russia and China as part of its network of strong diplomatic ties on the international stage.

He stressed, however, that the Kurdistan Region "wants to have a balanced relationship with Russia and the West... Strengthening relations with one does not mean it is at the expense of the other."

Erbil and Moscow have deepened bilateral relations over the past few years, notably after the KRG signed an agreement with Russia's state oil company Rosneft.

Russia was one of the few world powers that took a neutral stance regarding the Kurdistan Region's September referendum on independence, describing it as an internal matter between Baghdad and Erbil. “We will not interfere in the domestic affairs of Iraq,” said Putin before the controversial vote.

Editing by John J. Catherine