Lebanon to open representative office in Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday, and met the Lebanese envoy from the Lebanon Embassy of Iraq, Walid al-Ghusaini, in Erbil, and discussed bilateral relations among both sides.

In the meeting, al-Ghusaini expressed Lebanon's gratitude for "the bravery of Kurdish Peshmerga forces" in fighting against the Islamic State (IS) insurgents. Al-Ghusaini also praised the peaceful co-existence of different ethnic and religious groups living in the Kurdistan Region and noted that there are many Lebanese living and working in the Kurdistan Region, and that more Lebanese investors are aiming to invest in the Region.

For his part, Prime Minister Barzani discussed bilateral economic and diplomatic relations between Lebanon and the Kurdistan Region and expressed hope that relations will increase in all aspects. Barzani also mentioned that Lebanese citizens in the Kurdistan Region have played an active role in boosting the economy of the Region.

The battle against Islamic State (IS) was another main point of discussion in the meeting. Barzani said that Peshmerga forces defend the Kurdistan Region regardless of the ethnic and religious background of people in any locale. "People of the Kurdistan Region have been living in peace and harmony since long time ago and the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] will continue supporting people living in peace," he said.

In the meeting, they also discussed the issue of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Kurdistan Region and Lebanon. Both agreed that the international community needs to provide more humanitarian aid to the refugees and IDPs.

Al-Ghusaini mentioned that soon, Lebanon will open its representative office in the Kurdistan Region and later transform the office to a consulate.