Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received Mr. Frank Baker OBE on Tuesday, an old friend of the Kurds and the UK's new ambassador to Iraq. Mr. Baker visited Kurdistan at the beginning of his appointment as ambassador. He expressed his pleasure to be back in Erbil and to see Prime Minister Barzani.

He said that he hopes to play an effective role in furthering his country’s relations with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Ambassador Baker added that the British Consulate General in Erbil will have more tasks and activities and will encourage British companies to invest in Kurdistan. He explained that for this reason currently Baroness Emma Nicholson, the British Prime Minister’s trade envoy, is in Erbil.

Prime Minister Barzani congratulated Ambassador Baker and wished him success in his new role. He also expressed his happiness that an old friend of the Kurds has been appointed as ambassador in Baghdad, and recalled Mr. Baker’s relations with the Kurdistan Region during the mid 1990s when he was a diplomat in Ankara, and always visited and showed his support. Both sides stressed developing strong bilateral ties.

Their discussion also covered the current situation and the latest political and military developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region; the existing international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS); the role of Peshmerga forces in fighting the terrorist organization; and the provision of military and humanitarian aid for the Kurdistan Region, which is currently fighting the terrorists on all fronts. Prime Minister Barzani conveyed his government’s gratitude to Britain and the international community, and his wish for greater ongoing aid for the internally displaced and refugees in Kurdistan Region, whose needs are far beyond the KRG’s capacity.