High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and the delegation accompanying her arrived on Monday, June 17, in Erbil.

Kurdistan Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani along with a number of the region’s senior officials welcomed her in Erbil International Airport.

In her visit to Kurdistan, Ashton met Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani followed by a meeting with Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani.

The meetings held to discuss a number of important issues including oil, Kurdistan-Baghdad tensions and regional problems.

Earlier in the day, Ashton arrived in Baghdad; welcomed by Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari at Baghdad International Airport.

Zebari and Ashton held a round of talks on activating the works of Iraq-European Union joint committees in the fields of democracy, human rights, energy and trade.

The European official held talks with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Speaker of Parliament Usama al-Nijaifi, and Deputy Prime Minister for Energy, Hussein al-Shahrisani.

She signed an agreement with the Iraqi Government to establish Center for Energy Studies and Instruction.