Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani received the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Mr. Jan Jambon, and his accompanied delegation.

In the meeting, attended by Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani and a number of KRG senior officials, the visiting delegation highly valued the role of the Peshmerga forces in the fight against Islamic State terrorist organisation, ISIS.

They also praised the people and government of the Kurdistan Region for having accommodated, protected and provided services to a significant number of internally displaced people from various religious and ethnic communities.

Deputy Prime Minister Jambon highlighted the good cooperation between the Peshmerga and Belgian military experts who train Kurdistan Region military forces.

Prime Minister Barzani expressed his government’s appreciation for Belgian government for its support to the Kurdistan Region in the fight against ISIS.

Discussing the relations between the KRG and Iraqi Federal Government, Prime Minister Barzani said while there is a good military cooperation and coordination between the two sides against ISIS, no serious cooperation, however, exists in other fields.

Prime Minister Barzani stressed that the referendum for self-determination, which the Kurdistan Region intends to hold, is a natural right of the people of Kurdistan. He reaffirmed that serious dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil should be engaged, where the international community can play a role.