President Barzani Welcomes US Deputy Secretary of State Burns

 President Barzani today met with US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns for talks on bilateral relations, the political process in Iraq, and challenges facing the region in general.

Mr. Burns said the United States remains committed to cooperating and supporting the KRG, and commended President Barzani’s efforts to settle differences between the KRG and Baghdad.

He added that the United States believes that the resolution of the disagreements coupled with the introduction of reforms through practical steps by the Iraqi government is important for the whole country and will help Iraq become a stronger participant in the region.

During the meeting, President Barzani strongly condemned yesterday's assault on the US consulate that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and offered his and KRG's condolences to the government and people of the United States.

On relations with Baghdad, the President said the KRG is prepared for engagement with Baghdad to address these outstanding issues but that there needs to be practical steps taken to demonstrate good will. In particular, he said that steps need to be taken on urgent issues such as the passing of a number of outstanding pieces of legislation, including the hydrocarbons legislation, agreed upon prior to the formation of the current government.

The President and the Deputy Secretary of State also talked about developments in Syria, particularly the impact of these developments on Iraq and the KRG, and the humanitarian plight of Syrian refugees in Kurdistan. Some 16,000 Syrian refugees now live in Kurdistan and the number is increasing daily. Deputy Secretary Burns expressed US government appreciation for the KRG to help Syrian refugees.