Discussed regional peace, the necessity to work together to ensure the new government of Iraq succeeds, and the stalled government formation in Kurdistan in a meeting between @Bafeltalabani and @AmbBarrack in Baghdad yesterday.
On behalf of @POTUS, I welcomed PUK leaders @Bafeltalabani and @qubadjt Qubad Talabani to discuss our shared interests in forging a strong and mutually beneficial U.S.-Iraq partnership, including through our enduring friendship with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. I welcomed their vital contributions to ensure Iraq can effectively safeguard its sovereignty and fully realize the potential for its partnership with the United States.
Iraq’s new government presents an opportunity to strengthen the country’s sovereignty and shield it from regional and international tensions. In our discussion with Elbrus Kutrashev, Russian Ambassador to Iraq, we agreed that all partners should support this path and help ensure Iraq’s continued progress toward greater political independence.
I was pleased to welcome H.E. Alicia Rico Pérez del Pulgar, Ambassador of Spain to Iraq. We agreed that Iraq’s new government should place economic development at the center of its agenda, and that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government must work in close coordination and cooperation to advance shared prosperity and sustainable growth.
Today marks the launch of the Raparin Regional Development Agency, an important step toward a more balanced and inclusive economy.
I thank the UK Government @ukinerbil for its partnership in bringing this project to life. Sustainable economic growth cannot be limited to a few major cities. Every district has its own strengths, opportunities, and potential to attract investment, create jobs, and drive development.
We begin in Raparin, with a vision to replicate this model across the Kurdistan Region and ensure that growth and prosperity reach every community.
بمناسبة تعيينه مبعوثاً خاصاً للرئيس ترمب لشؤون العراق، نتقدم بأحر التهاني إلى السيد توم باراك، متمنين له التوفيق والنجاح في مهامه الجديدة.
كما نؤكد استعداد إقليم كُردستان الكامل للتعاون والتنسيق المشترك معه في مواجهة التحديات المشتركة ودعم مسارات الاستقرار والتنمية، ونتطلع إلى العمل معه بما يخدم مصالح العراق ويعزز الأمن والاستقرار في المنطقة.
I congratulate Mr. Tom Barrack on his appointment as President Trump’s Special Envoy to Iraq. We look forward to working closely with him to address the challenges facing Iraq and the wider region, and to advance our shared goals of security, stability, and prosperity.
From the Cannes Film Festival, we announced the Kurdistan Film Fund — an important step toward building a sustainable film industry in Kurdistan and empowering a new generation of Kurdish storytellers.
Because our stories deserve to be told by us, and shared with the world.
In meetings with Mr. Albrecht von Wittke of @GermanyInKRI and Mr. Andrew Bizley of @ukinerbil, we agreed that the continued delay in forming the new KRG cabinet is not in the interest of the Kurdistan Region. We must move beyond the current stalemate and begin a new phase based on responsibility and cooperation.
Strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region and Italy is important for stability and economic growth.
In my discussions with Mr. Niccolò Fontana, Ambassador of Italy to Iraq, we emphasized resolving remaining challenges through dialogue and expanding cooperation in trade, agriculture and tourism.
Congratulations to Mr. Ali al-Zaidi on the occasion of being formally tasked with the formation of the new government. Exceeding this sensitive stage is the value of logic.
We, with reference to the constitution and the strong coordination that unites us with the federal government, seek to work towards the future of political action and a comprehensive solution to the related cases and files between the federal and regional governments.
نبارك للسيد «علي الزيدي» بمناسبة تكليفه بتشكيل الحكومة الجديدة، متمنين له التوفيق والسداد في مهمة تأليف الكابينة الوزارية، بما يسهم في تمكين العراق من تجاوز هذه المرحلة الحساسة التي تمر بها المنطقة.
وإننا، استناداً إلى الدستور، وبالتنسيق المتين الذي يجمعنا مع الحكومة الاتحادية، نتطلع بتفاؤل إلى مستقبل العملية السياسية، وإلى حل جميع القضايا والملفات العالقة بين الحكومة الاتحادية والاقليم.
In my meeting with Maxim Rubin, we emphasized that, despite the current regional instability, the election of the President of Iraq and the appointment of a new Prime Minister represent positive and important steps toward reinforcing Iraq’s political stability.
In my meeting with Mr. Lukáš Gjurič, Consul General of the Czech Republic, we discussed strengthening relations between the Kurdistan Region and the Czech Republic, particularly in the fields of trade and agriculture.
We also exchanged views on supporting the Regional Development Agency in Raparin as a pilot project to strengthen the economy of the Kurdistan Region through rural development and agrotourism.