President Barzani receives Lebanese minister of foreign affairs for talks on the latest security developments in Kurdistan

 

President of Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani welcomed Gibran Bassil, the Lebanese minister of foreign affairs for talks on the latest security developments in northern Iraq and bilateral relations between the two sides.

During their meeting both sides agreed upon the importance of international protection for all ethnic and religious communities native to the Ninevah plains, including Christians, Yezidis, Kurds, and Arabs. Both parties agreed to exert pressure at the global level to assure international protection from the terrorists.

Mr Barzani reiterated his firm support of civilians, who have taken shelter in the region - stressed that assistance must also come from the Iraqi government – but asks them not to leave their homeland as the battle against militants “will not last long”.

Mr Bassil thanked Mr Barzani for the meeting and harbouring the Christians that have been persecuted, and expressed his desire of enhancing relations with the region, emphasising his country’s support at this time of crisis.

Kurdistan Region has been an outstanding model of stability, democracy and peaceful coexistence in Iraq during the last decade. Kurdistan has been a safe haven for all Iraqi components such as, Arabs, Turkomen, Christians, and others. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi internally displaced people have taken shelter in Kurdistan, fleeing violence and bloodshed in the other parts of Iraq.