President Barzani met Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi in Rome yesterday to discuss bilateral relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region and for consultation on the situation in Syria.

During the meeting, both the President and the Italian Foreign Minister expressed their satisfaction with the rapid pace of progress in ties and cooperation between Italy and Kurdistan and both expressed willingness to work to further enhance relations in different fields including economic and cultural areas as part of the overall framework of relations between Iraq and Italy.

Mr. Giulio Terzi underlined the importance of the role the Kurds play in the political process in Iraq and the stability and economic boom that the KRG has achieved in recent years. On business cooperation, he said some 30 Italian companies now operate in Kurdistan and the government is encouraging more companies to work there. He added that cooperation between Italian and Kurdistan universities, as well as the planned construction of a museum in Kurdistan are clear evidence of the progress of ties between the two sides.

The two also expressed their concern about the deteriorating situation in Syria and its impact on Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. President Barzani said more than 24,000 Syrian refuges have so far fled to the Kurdistan Region and with the help of the UNHCR, the KRG has managed to provide shelter and food for increasing the number of syrian refugees. He added, however, that the KRG will need assistance to take care of more refugees, especially with the cold weather approaching and the numbers continually increasing.