“Frankly, I want to say that [meetings] were more than what we anticipated,” said Barzani referring to the talks held with the American officials including US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
“All I can say is we observed that there is a very good understanding of the cause of the people of Kurdistan generally,” he added.
Barzani is this week leading a senior Kurdish delegation on trip to Washington. This is the Kurdish leaders first visit in three years after he turned down invitation to the Oval Office last May in protest of the US keeping the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan on Tier 3 of the terror list.
One of the trip’s main issues has been the potential arming of Kurdish forces by the US. There is now a draft bill before US Congress that would allow the transfer of arms to Kurds and Sunnis without the oversight of Baghdad.
In response, Barzani called the “clearance” process in Baghdad a “big problem” but expressed optimism for the process of negotiations.
“Certainly, that’s a big problem and it was discussed in details. We received complete assurances that weapon deliveries will not be delayed and will reach the hands of Peshmerga,” Barzani said.
“We have received complete confirmations from the most senior level of the American government,” he added.
Kurdish forces have been hailed as the most reliable partner by the US officials in the fight against the Islamic State. Still, the Peshmerga have been challenged by a better-equipped ISIS force which took control over vast amounts of Iraqi army weaponry and equipment.
According to Kurdish officials, Baghdad has been reluctant to send an appropriate amount of the weapons provided by international coalition to the Kurdish forces.
Barzani also touched on his presidential term which is due to expire in August. He said the matter will be left for the Kurdistan Parliament and the Kurdish parties.
“When they make a decision about it, then certainly I will have my own words on it,” he said.
Barzani will conclude his visit by addressing the Kurdish community in Virginia on Saturday and will tour several European countries before returning to Erbil.
