WASHINGTON, DC - President Masoud Barzani will arrive in Washington on Sunday for a week-long trip during which he is scheduled to meet the US president, vice president and other senior officials, the US State Department said Thursday. “President [Barack] Obama will also join Vice President [Joe] Biden in welcoming President Barzani to the White House,” said State Department’s acting spokesperson Marie Harf. “[Barzani] will meet with administration officials, including here at the State Department with Deputy Secretary Tony Blinken on Wednesday, to discuss a range of issues including the US’ strong and continued support to Iraqi Kurdistan and the Kurdish people,” she added. According to Harf, discussions will include topics such as ISIS and “the status of ongoing political initiatives to address the needs of the Iraqi people, and to foster cooperation across all communities.” The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) office in Washington said Barzani will speak at a joint Atlantic Council-US Institute of Peace event on Wednesday and address the local Kurdish community on Saturday. Barzani will also meet members of US Congress and will speak at the US Chamber of Commerce. KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Minister of Peshmerga Mustafa Qadir are among the senior Kurdish officials expected to accompany Barzani to Washington.
