US Secretary of Defense thanks Kurdish president for warm welcome
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a letter to the Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin thanked the president for the ‘warm welcome’ he received during his recent visit to Erbil on March 7.
#Kurdistan @IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani receives a letter from the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austinhttps://t.co/rhHXYE0Nzz pic.twitter.com/f80Rzket6Q
— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) March 23, 2023
The Presidency of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in a statement said that Austin “was pleased to affirm the strength and importance of the partnership between the United States and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.”
Moreover, US Secretary of Defense Austin also expressed “his appreciation for the shared commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS, and reiterated that the continued cooperation of the United States and the Kurdistan Region, in coordination with Baghdad, is essential for a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq.”
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The President’s statement also noted that the US Defense Secretary expressed his “appreciation for President Nechirvan Barzani’s leadership on implementing the critical reforms within the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs” as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Defense and the Ministry of Peshmerga in 2022.
Reportedly, US Secretary of Defense Austin concludes his letter by reiterating US keenness to continue to work together.
During a press conference in Baghdad on March 7, US Secretary of Defense Austin underlined that US security forces alongside the Kurdish Peshmerga have made huge efforts in the fight against ISIS.
Read More: US forces and Kurdish Peshmerga are leading the fight against ISIS: US Secretary of Defense
“Now, the United States security forces including the Kurdish Peshmerga have made huge strides in increasing their counterterrorism capabilities and today, they are in the lead,” he underlined.
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On March 7, in Erbil, the Kurdistan Region President reassured the Pentagon chief that the KRG is “keen to reorganize Peshmerga forces.”
Barzani also thanked the US for its “continuous support” for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.