On the margins of the 64th annual session of the UNHCR Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, the high-level Iraqi delegation met with key officials to discuss political developments in Iraq, Kurdistan Region and the broader region, as well as the ongoing violence in Syria.


The high-level Iraqi delegation, led by Iraqi Federal Foreign Minister, Mr Hoshyar Zebari, also includes Head of KRG Department of Foreign Relations, Minister Falah Mustafa.

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ahmet Davutoglu, and the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr William Burns both met with the delegation separately to discuss current political and economic ties and to discuss ways of further strengthening ties.

In the meeting with Minister Davutoglu, the officials discussed preparations for the upcoming Geneva 2 conference on Syria. They expressed their hope that the international community would play a meaningful role in finding a political solution for the ongoing violence.

During the same day, the delegation also met Ms. Valerie Amos, Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, to discuss the role Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are playing in hosting and providing for the 240,000 refugees in the country. The meeting was also attended by the UN Regional Coordinator, Mr Nigel Fisher.

In a separate meeting, the high-level delegation from Iraq met with the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr William Burns, and Mr Brett McGurk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran. The meeting touched on political ties between Iraq and the US, as well as regional developments in the Middle East.

Minister Zebari emphasised the regional impact the ongoing violence in Syria continues to have on neighbouring countries. The officials also discussed the recent UN Security Council Resolution 2188 calling for the dismantlement of chemical weapons in Syria and the upcoming Geneva 2 gathering.