ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is set to arrive in Damascus on Monday for his first visit to Syria since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime. During the visit, Barzani will discuss the “prospects for joint cooperation" with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
"During the visit, President Barzani will meet with President al-Sharaa to discuss Syria's relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, prospects for joint cooperation, and the latest developments in the region," read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
Syria's state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported on Sunday that the talks between Barzani and Sharaa will cover "bilateral relations and a number of issues of mutual interest, contributing to enhanced cooperation and coordination across various fields."
The visit follows a series of high-level contacts between Erbil and Damascus over the past two years, including meetings between President Barzani and Sharaa in Antalya, as well as with senior Syrian officials on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
It also comes amid growing diplomatic engagement between the Kurdistan Region and Syria's new leadership, as well as ongoing regional security challenges following months of conflict between the United States and Iran.
In April, President Barzani and Sharaa held a phone call to discuss the regional conflict and its repercussions for the Kurdistan Region.
'Important step'
A Syrian foreign ministry official told Rudaw's Nalin Hassan on Monday that President Barzani's visit to Damascus is "an important step toward strengthening dialogue and relations."
Regarding the agenda for the visit, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the talks are expected to focus on several priority issues, including border security and counterterrorism, strengthening economic and trade cooperation, facilitating transport and commercial exchange, the return of refugees and internally displaced people, and coordination on regional developments to support security and stability. Mechanisms to expand cooperation in the services and investment sectors are also expected to be discussed.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrian Kurds who fled the country's civil war remain reluctant to return home due to a range of concerns, including security.
The official added that the visit represents an opportunity to strengthen relations between Syria and the Kurdistan Region at various levels and deepen coordination in addressing shared security and economic challenges.
The official also said the Kurdistan Region can play a positive role in supporting economic cooperation, facilitating trade and transport, and strengthening channels of communication within the framework of official relations between Syria and Iraq and with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries.
Barzani-Abdi meeting
The Kurdistan Region, particularly President Barzani, has played a key role in efforts to facilitate the integration of the Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria's state institutions. An agreement to that effect was reached between Damascus and the SDF in January following weeks of clashes.
During the conflict, the Kurdistan Region's Semalka border crossing with northeast Syria served as a vital lifeline for Syrian Kurds amid restrictions on access to the area.
The statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency did not say whether President Barzani will meet any other officials during his visit. However, SDF-affiliated Ronahi TV reported that SDF chief Mazloum Abdi will travel to Damascus on Monday and meet with President Barzani on Tuesday.
