President Nechirvan Barzani received a letter from the US Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin. In his letter, Secretary Austin thanks the President for the warm welcome he received during his recent visit to Erbil on March 7.

Regarding his visit to Erbil, Mr. Austin writes that he was pleased to affirm the strength and importance of the partnership between the United States and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Also in the letter, Mr. Austin expresses his appreciation for the shared commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS, and reiterates that the continued cooperation of the United States and the Kurdistan Region, in coordination with Baghdad, is essential for a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq.

US Secretary of Defense also expresses his appreciation for President Nechirvan Barzani’s leadership on implementing the critical reforms within the Peshmerga Ministry outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Defense and the Peshmarga Ministry of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Mr. Austin concludes his letter by expressing his country’s readiness to continue to work together.