Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, we are very pleased to meet here today in Erbil with Ambassador and Consul General of the United States to officially launch the construction of the United States Consulate compound in the Kurdistan Region

US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani led the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for the world's largest US consulate in Erbil. The Prime Minister made the following remarks.

Good morning,

We are very pleased to meet here today in Erbil with Ambassador and Consul General of the United States to officially launch the construction of the United States Consulate compound in the Kurdistan Region.

There is no doubt that the relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq with America were important to us after 2003, but when it comes to our relations, I would like to remind ourselves that after 1991, America played a leading role in protecting our people during the mass exodus and the great tragedy which befell upon our people. Since those days the United States established a no-fly zone in Iraq to protect us, leading to the relations we have started since 2003.

I would also like to remind ourselves that the United States of America also helped us in the war against ISIL, and without the assistance of the US military, we would not have been able to stop the advance of ISIL.

Today we look with great satisfaction to this project which is a very important project and we appreciate it and hope it is a beginning. It is true that today we are here to start the construction of the compound, but it is in itself a signal to the outside and to the whole world that America wants to stay in Iraq, that America wants to stay in Kurdistan, that America wants to develop its relations which is important for Iraq and for America.

I am delighted by the presence of Mr. Ambassador today to officially launching the project, I hope that these relations will further develop in the future and cover all areas.

I welcome everyone to this ceremony.