President Nechirvan Barzani received on Monday in Erbil Mr. Mark Bryson Richardson, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Iraq, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting discussed the latest developments in the Iraqi political process, the recent election of the Iraqi President, and the appointment of the Prime Minister-designate to form a new cabinet of the Federal Government.

The President reiterated that it is important that the new Iraqi cabinet identifies its priorities and provides services and job opportunities. The President underlined that the new Iraqi government currently has the opportunity to resolve the country’s issues, and that the Iraqi parties must plan strategically together on the basis of the country’s high interests and cooperate to solve the problems and restore and protect the stability of the country.

Discussions also focused on the developments in the Kurdistan Region. In this regard, the importance of preserving the unity of the parties and communities in the Kurdistan Region was underlined. Both sides agreed that with regards to the practice of democratic principles, friendly countries and the international community are monitoring Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and expect the obstacles to the election process to be removed.

In the meeting, attended by the General Consul of the United Kingdom to the Kurdistan Region, discussions also covered the bilateral relations of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with the UK, the opportunity to expand cooperation between the two sides especially in the field of investment and labor market, the bilateral relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with neighboring countries and the region, the developments in the wider region, and other issues of mutual interest.