Kurdistan
Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni (left) and Kurdistan Region PM Masrour Barzani (right) at Erbil International Airport on December 23, 2022. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Top Kurdish officials on Friday received Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni in Erbil, in the Italian premier’s first visit to the Middle East since assuming office in October.
Meloni arrived in Baghdad on Friday morning, holding meetings with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, as well as the country’s President Abdul Latif Rashid and parliamentary speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.
The Italian premier is set to visit her country’s troops and military advisors that are deployed to the Kurdistan Region.
Italy and the Kurdistan Region have shared strong relations since 2003, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has a representative in the Italian capital of Rome. Former Italian PM Giuseppe Conte visited the Kurdistan Region in 2019.
Italy has been a member of the global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) since 2014, and has up to 900 soldiers deployed to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, providing military advice and training to the Peshmerga forces.
Meloni was received by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani upon arriving at Erbil International Airport. She later met with the Region's President Nechirvan Barzani.
President Barzani thanked Italy for its military, military and humanitarian support in the fight against ISIS, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
Both leaders talked about latest developments in the region, Erbil-Baghdad issues as well as several other issues.
"The President and the Prime Minister agreed that ISIS is still a real threat to the security and stability of Iraq and Syria, and that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region continue to need the international support to eliminate ISIS. They also stressed on further developing bilateral relations between Italy and the Kurdistan Region and their collective cooperation in all fields," added the statement.
Meloni invited President Barzani to Italy.
PM Barzani and his Italian counterpart held a press conference late Friday.
“Definitely, your visit clearly proves the friendship and alliance between Italy and Iraq, especially with the people of Kurdistan,” said PM Barzani during the presser.
He added that they both discussed several key issues during the meeting, hoping for the improvement of bilateral relations.
Meloni told reporters that she reaffirms her country's support for the Kurdistan Region, adding that Italy will increase its support for the Region.
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