President Barzani, Italian Consul General Discuss Regional Security, Erbil-Baghdad Relations
During the meeting, Sansone referred to President Barzani's visit to Rome in January and praised the historic ties between Italy and the Kurdistan Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – President Masoud Barzani met with Italian Consul General to Erbil Tommaso Sansone on Sunday to discuss regional security developments, political issues, and relations between Iraq's federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), according to a statement from Barzani Headquarters.
During the meeting, Sansone referred to President Barzani's visit to Rome in January and praised the historic ties between Italy and the Kurdistan Region. He reaffirmed Italy's commitment to further strengthening the friendship and bilateral relations between the two sides.
The discussions also focused on the latest political and security developments in the region, as well as ties between Iraq's new federal government and the KRG.
The situation in Syria and the ongoing peace process in Turkey were also among the key topics addressed during the meeting.
Italy has maintained close diplomatic and economic relations with the Kurdistan Region since opening its Consulate General in Erbil on Dec. 23, 2015.
The Kurdistan Region is strategically important to Italy due to its relative stability and its role as a gateway to the wider Middle East. The Region's oil and gas resources have also attracted interest from Italian energy companies, while Italy has consistently valued the Kurdistan Region's role in combating terrorism and contributing to regional security.