Key player at Kurdish talks appointed US Presidential Envoy to Counter-ISIL Coalition
McGurk, was Deputy to General John Allen, who led global coalition’s campaign against Islamic State, or ISIS. Allen is retiring next month after 38 years of service in US Marines.
“Brett Has been with General Allen at every key moment in his campaign and has long been one of my most trusted advisers on Iraq,” said US president in a statement released on Friday.
“I have also asked him {McGurk} to work closely with my national security team to strengthen our partnership with Iraq and work intensively with regional partners to bring an end to the civil war in Syria, which continues to fuel ISL and other extremist groups,” added Obama.
Kurdish officials took to Twitter to welcome McGurk’s appointment as new convoy to coalition fighting Islamic State, or ISIS.
“I congratulate @brett_mcgurk for his appointment as Presidential Envoy for Global Coalition on ISIL and thank Gen Allen for his service,” wrote Masrour Barzani Barzani, Chancellor of the Kurdistan Regional Security Council.
Bayan Sami Rahman, KRG representative to USA congratulated McGurk for his appointment on her Twitter account.
McGurk played a key role at the intra-Kurdish talks on presidential crisis held in August between Kurdish parties, in Erbil.
On August 18, two days before the end of Masoud Barzani’s term as president of Kurdistan Region, McGurk spent sleepless hours urging Kurdish parties to solve the crisis and unite against ISIS.
Hevidar Ahmed, Rudaw’s correspondent at the hall where the meetings were held described McGurk as having a key role in bringing the different Kurdish parties together.
Ambassador McGurk was respected by all parties,” noted Hevidar. “He was running from one room to another to urge parties to reach a consensus. Whenever he saw two parties engaging in a dialogue, he hurried to calm them down and help the talks continue.”
The presidential crisis remains unsolved between the Kurdish parties.
On September 10, 2014, Barack Obama announced the formation of an international coalition to fight against Islamic State, or ISIS. The International Coalition to Counter ISIL has 65 members including major Western military powers and several Arab countries in addition to Turkey.
Rudaw
