Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, yesterday received Mr. Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg and his accompanying delegation.

The two sides discussed the situation of the internally displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees that fled the violent repression of the Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS, and took refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

They highlighted the heavy burden that this population represents on the Kurdistan Regional Government at a time when the Kurdistan Region is going through a financial crisis, lack of budget and a war which has been imposed on it by ISIS.

According to a recent joint report by the United Nations and KRG Ministry of Planning, the IDPs and refugees in Kurdistan Region represent 28 percent of the local population. Despite the difficulties, the Kurdistan Region has accommodated and provided them all the assistance and services that it can.

The visiting delegation stressed that it will plead the plight of the IDPs and refugees before the international community, in particular the European countries, for them to provide further aid to the IDPs in the Kurdistan Region.

The delegation also stressed that it will raise this issue at the conference of donor countries, which is scheduled to be held in Kuwait next week and will inform the audience about the extend of humanitarian duties that the Kurdistan Regional Government has implemented towards the displaced and refugees.

Prime Minister Barzani emphasised that the Kurdistan Region has embraced all the displaced persons regardless of ethnicity, religion or sect.

Both sides also discussed the current political situation in Iraq, the fight against ISIS and the progress made by the Kurdistan Peshmerga Forces on the frontline against terrorism. The delegation expressed its government’s readiness to provide the necessary assistance for medical treatment to injured Peshmerga.

Prime Minister Barzani said that the Peshmerga forces are fighting against ISIS terrorists in order to defend and protect the principles of human rights, which are values that the Kurdistan Region shares with all supporters of freedom across the world.