President Barzani to visit Austria

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is set to travel to Austria’s capital Vienna in an official visit on Monday.

Barzani “is scheduled to meet with Austria’s president and foreign minister to discuss deepening relations between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Austria,” said a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. The meetings will be held on Tuesday. 

In a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Munich on February, President Barzani and the top diplomat “reiterated their commitment to further enhance bilateral cooperation,” the Kurdistan Region Presidency said at the time. 

During their meeting, they exchanged views on the tense situation in the Middle East, particularly the Israel-Gaza war, and the threats it poses to world security and stability as well as its negative repercussions, according to the presidency. 

After his meeting with Barzani, Schallenberg described the security and stability of Iraq ad “essential” for the stability of Austria. 

President Barzani has been on several official diplomatic visits this year, holding key visits to Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and participating in diplomatic forums such as the Munich Security Conference and the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.