US Deputy Secretary of State reiterates support for Kurdistan in meeting with KRG PM
"The US official called for continued talks between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve outstanding issues."
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United States Deputy Secretary of State has reiterated his country’s support for Kurdistan in a meeting with the Region’s prime minister and called for more collaboration between Baghdad and Erbil.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received a US delegation headed by the Deputy Secretary of State, John J. Sullivan in the Kurdistan Region capital on Monday.
US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman, Erbil Consul General Steve Fagin, and a representative from the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) accompanied the delegation.
Sullivan congratulated Barzani on the success of the Kurdistan Region’s recent parliamentary elections and the victory against the Islamic State, a statement on the KRG website read.
He also reiterated the US’ support for the Kurdistan Region.
The US official called for continued talks between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve outstanding issues and emphasized security and economic collaboration between the two.
Sullivan highlighted the recent developments in Iraq, hoping the Iraqi leaders form a new government within the constitutional timeline.
PM Barzani, meanwhile, thanked the US for its continued assistance to the Kurdistan Region and briefed the delegation on the political process in Iraq as well as Kurdistan’s participation in the procedure. He also spoke about the elections process in the Kurdistan Region.
On Sunday, Sullivan arrived in Baghdad where he met senior officials of Iraq’s new government, as well as the outgoing Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi.
Sullivan is the most senior US official to visit Iraq since the May 12 elections. According to State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert, Sullivan met, along with US Ambassador to Baghdad Silliman and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, Andrew Peek, with Prime Minister-designate Adel Abdul-Mahdi on Sunday.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
