Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (krg.org) - Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday received Mr Nikolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Iraq and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

Prime Minister Barzani and SRSG Mladenov, who was accompanied by a delegation, discussed Iraq’s current situation, the terrorist group ISIS, the latest security developments on the ground, and the situation in Kobane and the rest of Syria. They also discussed the international coalition against terror, the military operations and the Peshmerga forces’ battle against the terrorists. Prime Minister Barzani stressed the Kurdistan Region’s need for heavy weaponry and training to better fight terrorism.

Regarding the humanitarian situation, Prime Minister Barzani said that the plight of the internally displaced and refugees needs more attention from Iraq, the United Nations and the international community especially as winter approaches. Without more serious efforts from those parties, the conditions for the IDPs would deteriorate, even though the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is doing all it can within its limited capacity to help them.

The meeting also covered Iraq’s political process and the importance of the Kurdistan Region’s participation in the new Iraqi federal government. Prime Minister Barzani reiterated that the Kurdish ministers in the Iraqi cabinet will return to Baghdad following the negotiations and meetings between the Kurdish political parties. The Prime Minister thanked SRSG Mladenov for the UN’s ongoing efforts to resolving the disagreements between Erbil and Baghdad. Prime Minister Barzani welcomed the UN delegation’s suggestion to visit Baghdad following the Kurdish ministers’ return to the Iraqi federal cabinet.


Mr Mladenov said that the Kurdistan Region’s participation in the Iraqi Government will lead to the success of the political process in Iraq.