Iraq discusses launching Erbil-Baku direct flights with Azerbaijan

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein on Sunday discussed with a senior Azerbaijan official about ramping up efforts to launch direct flights between the Caucasian country's capital Baku with both the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil as well as the Iraqi capital Baghdad, according to a statement.

Hussein, who is also Iraq’s deputy premier, met with Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transportation Rashad Nabiyev on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement ministerial conference in Baku.

The ministers stressed the urgent need to open direct flights between Baku and the Iraqi and Kurdish capitals “as soon as possible,” a statement from the Ministry read.

They also discussed granting Azerbaijani visas to Iraqi people who wish to visit the country, per the readout on the discussion, which included fostering the Caucasian country’s investment in Iraq too.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in early-June discussed opening an Azerbaijani diplomatic mission in the Kurdish capital Erbil with the country’s Charge d'affaires in Iraq.

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The Kurdistan Region's President Nechirvan Barzani has previously met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss enhancing bilateral ties. 

Nabiyev is set to visit Iraq in upcoming October with a high-level delegation to meet his Iraqi counterpart, per the statement.