President Barzani visit ‘beneficial’ to relations with Germany: Iraqi ambassador
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s ambassador to Germany on Sunday told Rudaw that the upcoming visit of President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani will be beneficial to Erbil and Baghdad’s relations with Berlin.
President Barzani is set to arrive in the German capital and meet with the country’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other senior officials on Monday, discussing bilateral ties, as well as the situation in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, according to a statement from his office.
Luqman Abdul Rahim al-Faili, Iraq’s ambassador to Germany, said he believed the visit could be beneficial for both Erbil and Baghdad citing Iraq and Germany’s historic ties and President Barzani’s strong relations with the European country.
“Germany is a country Iraq trusts. We, historically, share good and strong relations… Based on this principle, the visit of His Excellency President Nechirvan Barzani will be fruitful and beneficial,” Faili told Rudaw’s Alla Shally, adding that Barzani “has experience and strong, long-standing relations with the Germans.”
Faili said he deemed it “necessary” for German officials and officials from all parts of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, to exchange opinions and work towards developing stronger relations.
The Iraqi ambassador also stated that the presence of a large Kurdish community in Germany could help in further bolstering ties with Berlin, allowing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to have a present voice inside the European country instead of only relying on diplomatic missions.
“The Kurdish community in Germany is one of the oldest Iraqi communities abroad… It is necessary for us, as Iraq, to benefit from these relations and these communities here so we can have a voice inside Germany and not only through diplomatic relations,” he added.
Germany is a key international actor as well as an essential member of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). Berlin has also been involved in the Peshmerga reforms over the past few years, with the German army mostly based in the Region.
Germany is among countries that have recognized the ISIS atrocities against Yazidis as “genocide”, and has carried out several projects in the Yazidi heartland, Shingal, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps housing Yazidi people since 2014, in attempts to help the religious minority group, according to a German diplomat in Erbil.
In March, German Foreign Minister Annelena Baerbock visited the Kurdistan Region and during her meeting with President Barzani emphasized the “great importance” of relations between Erbil and Berlin.
President Barzani is set to arrive in the German capital and meet with the country’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other senior officials on Monday, discussing bilateral ties, as well as the situation in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, according to a statement from his office.
Luqman Abdul Rahim al-Faili, Iraq’s ambassador to Germany, said he believed the visit could be beneficial for both Erbil and Baghdad citing Iraq and Germany’s historic ties and President Barzani’s strong relations with the European country.
“Germany is a country Iraq trusts. We, historically, share good and strong relations… Based on this principle, the visit of His Excellency President Nechirvan Barzani will be fruitful and beneficial,” Faili told Rudaw’s Alla Shally, adding that Barzani “has experience and strong, long-standing relations with the Germans.”
Faili said he deemed it “necessary” for German officials and officials from all parts of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, to exchange opinions and work towards developing stronger relations.
The Iraqi ambassador also stated that the presence of a large Kurdish community in Germany could help in further bolstering ties with Berlin, allowing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to have a present voice inside the European country instead of only relying on diplomatic missions.
“The Kurdish community in Germany is one of the oldest Iraqi communities abroad… It is necessary for us, as Iraq, to benefit from these relations and these communities here so we can have a voice inside Germany and not only through diplomatic relations,” he added.
Germany is a key international actor as well as an essential member of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS). Berlin has also been involved in the Peshmerga reforms over the past few years, with the German army mostly based in the Region.
Germany is among countries that have recognized the ISIS atrocities against Yazidis as “genocide”, and has carried out several projects in the Yazidi heartland, Shingal, and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps housing Yazidi people since 2014, in attempts to help the religious minority group, according to a German diplomat in Erbil.
In March, German Foreign Minister Annelena Baerbock visited the Kurdistan Region and during her meeting with President Barzani emphasized the “great importance” of relations between Erbil and Berlin.