Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani meet Dr. Cyrill Nunn German Ambassador to Iraq

In meetings with Germany’s ambassador to Iraq in Erbil on Monday, Kurdish leadership discussed the challenges bringing Baghdad to the table for talks and fears that Iraq may again resort to military force to resolve disputes between them. 

Ambassador Dr. Cyrill Nunn met with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and expressed his support for a “strong government in the Kurdistan Region,” according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). 

He stressed the need for “serious dialogue” between Erbil and Baghdad in light of the Iraqi constitution, a stance PM Barzani welcomed.

The KRG hopes “Germany will play its role to start talks between Erbil and Baghdad,” to find a negotiated understanding to resolve their outstanding issues, the statement said.

Barzani highlighted the need for the federal government to address the causes that led to the emergence of ISIS. Iraq has so far refused to commit to unconditional negotiations with the KRG despite Erbil’s offer to freeze the results of the independence vote and commitment to respect a ruling from the Iraqi Federal Court on the matter.

Dr Nunn reiterate that his country will continue its support for a strong Kurdistan Region as it values the role of Kurds in sheltering millions of IDPs during the war against the Islamic State (IS), said German Ambassador to Iraq Cyrill Nunn.

The envoy, accompanied by a diplomatic delegate, met on Monday with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani to discuss bilateral ties between Erbil and Berlin, as well as the prolonged disputes between the Kurdistan Region and Iraqi government.

Nunn reiterated the importance of peaceful dialogues between Erbil and Baghdad within the framework of the Iraqi constitution. 

He also commended the people and government of the Kurdistan Region for their outstanding role in sheltering nearly 2 million IDPs from other Iraqi provinces during the three years of anti-Islamic State war. The German diplomat vowed his country’s continued humanitarian support for the IDPs and refugees settled in the Kurdistan Region.

Barzani, in return, thanked the German government for its support to Erbil. Concerning the Erbil-Baghdad crisis, the Kurdish premier said that his government is still persisting in peaceful talks and not violence as a mean to resolve disagreements. He reiterated that Baghdad should treat Erbil in accordance with the Iraqi constitution.