President Masoud Barzani Receives US Delegation and UN Special Representative

On September 14, 2020, President Masoud Barzani received Matthew Tueller, the US Ambassador to Iraq, and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, which was attended by Robert Waller, the new US Consul General in Erbil, the US Ambassador conveyed the special greetings of Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State to President Barzani, stressing the friendship between his country and the Kurdistan Region and declaring that the Kurdistan Region has a special status and importance among the important decision centers in America. He also stressed that America, within the framework of the strategic dialogue, wants to help its friends in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to address the problems and strengthen the institutions of the Iraqi state. In the same meeting, the guest delegation confirmed that their country will continue to coordinate with the Kurdistan Peshemrga Forces.

In another section of the meeting, President Barzani stressed the friendship between the people of Kurdistan and America, and expressed his thanks to the American institutions and decision centers for their consideration of the situation and the status of the Kurdistan Region and wished success to the new American consul in Erbil in his duties.

The political situation in the region, the challenges facing the Iraqi government, the upcoming elections in Iraq and the repercussions of the Corona pandemic on the economic, social and psychological aspects of society were other issues discussed in the meeting.

The following day on September 15, 2020, President Barzani received in Salahadin, Mrs. Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq.

During the meeting, they discussed the political situation, the latest developments in the region, and shed light on the challenges facing the political process and the upcoming elections in Iraq.

For his part, President Barzani expressed to Minister Plasschsert his views and observations regarding the upcoming elections in Iraq and the election law.

In another part of the meeting, the visit by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhmi to the Kurdistan Region was described as positive. On the Shingal region, the two sides stressed the need to provide a suitable environment in order for the displaced people of the region to return to their homes.