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MUNICH, Germany — Masrour Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Germany on Friday.
"As you know there are many complicated issues in our region and we'd like to very closely share some of our views with you on some of those topics..." Barzani said while thanking the Russians before the meeting.
Russia and the Kurdistan Region enjoy historic relations dating back to the Soviet Union. The Russian Foreign Ministry tweeted video of Barzani and Lavrov exchanging pleasantries prior to the meeting.
📹FM Sergey #Lavrov met with @masrour_barzani on the sidelines of @MunSecConf#MSC2019 pic.twitter.com/TgCRj9AhQp
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 15, 2019
"It's very nice. It's very nice to touch base with you again. It's another manifestation that we promote our dialogue with Iraq involving all political, ethnic and sectarian forces," Lavrov said before the meeting.
Recently, Russian companies have invested heavily in the Kurdistan Region's oil sector.
"They also reviewed ways to increase the strong economic ties with Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole," read a KRSC statement.
Lavrov echoed the role Russia can play in encouraging relations between Erbil and Baghdad.
"And we value the multi-ethnical and multi-confederational [nature] of the Iraqi state. It was some time ago undermined a little. The situation is not ideal at the moment, but there is progress and we wish you well and we will discuss all of the immediate tasks of your government and of Iraqi Kurdistan and what we can do to help our friends..." Lavrov added.
Barzani has been tipped by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to become the Kurdistan Region's next prime minister as government formation talks continue.
He called the meeting productive.
Productive meeting today with @mfa_russia FM Sergey Lavrov — Discussed the historic relationship between our peoples; situation in Syria, and ways to increase trade and investment with Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole. Readout: https://t.co/hGsL6hYtLk pic.twitter.com/4SpPLdcm6e
— Masrour Barzani (@masrour_barzani) February 15, 2019
Russia is set to play a pivotal role in the future of Syria, as it has good relations with Syria and Turkey.
"On Syria, Chancellor Barzani raised his concern about the future of the Kurdish people. He stressed the importance of a peaceful settlement that guarantees their rights and safety, and urged Russia to help advance that goal," read a statement from the KRSC.
Barzani also met with Iraq’s National Security Advisor Falih al-Fayyadh in Munich.
Masoud Barzani (2nd right) met with Iraq’s National Security Advisor Falih al-Fayyadh (2nd left). Photo: KRSC
They discussed the growing ISIS threat in Iraq and Barzani said that combatting the group and its ideology “requires sustained cooperation between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government,” according to statement from the KRSC.
The Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces are currently laying the groundwork for cooperation between them in Kirkuk, an issue the two security experts discussed.
They also touched on the situation in Syria.
KRG spokesperson Safeen Dizayee, who is with Barzani in Germany, told Rudaw the meeting with Fayyadh was “very good.”
Updated at 9:47 pm
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