Minister Mustafa receives new Dutch Ambassador to Iraq
The Netherlands recently established an Embassy Liaison Office in Erbil and is headed by Mr. Jeroen Kelderhuis, who accompanied Ambassador Molenaar in his meeting.
In welcoming Ambassador Molenaar to Erbil, Minister Mustafa congratulated him upon his new assignment and assured him of the KRG and the Department’s support and assistance to ensuring a successful mission in Baghdad.
Minister Mustafa cited the sizable Kurdish community based in the Netherlands, saying there is ‘a long-standing relationship’ between both sides and that the Kurdish community can play a meaningful role in broadening ties. They also agreed on the need to convey a strong message to the Netherlands about the safety and stability of the region compared to the rest of the country and to encourage further exchange of visits.
The two sides touched on recent tensions and the political crisis in Iraq. Minister Mustafa stressed that it is important to resort to peaceful means and dialogue to resolve any differences and disagreements based on the Iraqi Constitution. He said, “We will work with our partners in the political sphere to prevent further escalations.”
Ambassador Molenaar commended the stable security environment in Kurdistan that offers investors rich opportunities and that have allowed it to become a platform and gateway for the rest of the country. He expressed his readiness to attract interest from the business community in the Netherlands, helping establish institutional ties between both sides, and said that he would convey positive messages to his government in the Netherlands about Kurdistan Region.
Speaking about the ongoing violence in Syria, Minister Mustafa spoke about the increasing number of refugees seeking shelter in Kurdistan and the need for further assistance from the international community for the refugees and to end the violence.
Today, there are over 45,000 refugees mainly residing in the refugee camp of Domiz.
