ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Consul General in Erbil Irvin Hicks Jr. said on Wednesday that his country’s support for the Kurdish Peshmerga forces remains a “priority” despite issues between Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties. The US Department of Defence and the Peshmerga ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2016. It has been renewed several times, with the last one being in September. As per the MoU, Washington supports Peshmerga in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), according to the Kurdistan Regional Government. Speaking at a press conference, attended by Rudaw’s Payam Sarbast, the diplomat said that the MoU is a “major” priority for the US government, adding that this “will not change regardless of the current challenges between the KDP and PUK,” referring to Kurdistan Region’s governing parties. Relations between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have been thorny in recent years mostly due to political and financial reasons. “Progress being made on the issue… has been followed by the highest level of the US government,” noted Hicks. The diplomat also said that Washington supports ongoing efforts to make reforms among the Peshmerga forces, adding that high-level meetings have been held in this regard. “We are encouraged by the level of cooperation we are receiving but the proof will always be in the results,” he stressed. Washington has maintained a strong relationship with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. The US has provided the Kurdish Peshmerga with several rounds of military aid over the years, namely in the fight against ISIS beginning in 2014.
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