Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani separately received Mr. Vincent Guillaume, the Representative of the European Union (EU) in Erbil, and Mr. Vesa Häkkinen, the Ambassador of Finland to Iraq, who paid farewell visits to the President upon completion of their terms in office.

President Nechirvan Barzani expressed his appreciation for the efforts and contributions of both diplomats in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and wished them success in their new duties.

For their parts, the EU Representative and Finland’s Ambassador expressed gratitude to the President and the relevant authorities in the Kurdistan Region for their support and cooperation and reiterated the EU and Finland’s willingness to further develop relations with the Kurdistan Region.

At the meeting with the EU Representative, the President reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to preserving human rights, liberties including freedoms of expression, strengthening of the rule of law and the sovereignty of the courts. The President referred to the judicial system in the EU and ways for the Kurdistan Region to benefit from the European Union’s experience with regards to the judiciary procedures.

The latest developments on COVID-19 pandemic, the situation in the Kurdistan Region, terror threats and the dangers of ISIS resurgence and the relations of the EU and Finland with the Kurdistan Region were highlighted.