McGurk, as special presidential envoy to the global coalition against ISIS, has been at the forefront of US diplomatic relations in Iraq. Masoud Barzani, former president of the Kurdistan Region, is head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) that retained its top position among Kurdish parties in Iraq’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results.
“In the meeting, the US special presidential envoy congratulated President [sic] Barzani on the holding of the Iraqi parliamentary elections and the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s victory,” read a statement from Masoud Barzani’s office.
“Besides pointing out the important and historical role of President Barzani in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the region, he also announced that his country’s policy is for the Kurdistan Region to be influential and powerful in Iraq’s equations,” the readout added.
“It was emphasized that without the active and true participation of the Kurdistan Region, the efforts to form a government and for stability to be established won’t succeed,” the statement quoted both sides as agreeing.
McGurk also hoped that relations between the KRG and the US will be preserved and widened.
His visit to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq comes amid rumors of notorious Iranian general Qassem Soleimani also in the country in a bid to influence the formation of the Iraqi government.
Some consider McGurk the designer of US policy with respect to Kurdistan’s independence referendum. He avoided visiting the Kurdistan Region in the immediate weeks after the vote.
There was no immediate statement from McGurk on the meeting.
