President Barzani, Lithuanian foreign minister discuss migrant crisis, bilateral ties

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis discussed bilateral ties and the recent migrant crisis of Iraqis and Kurds in a meeting on Monday, which highlighted other topics as well.

Landsbergis thanked President Barzani for their efforts in tackling the migrant crisis, as the foreign minister “hoped” the cooperation in this matter would lead to boosting the ties the Kurdistan Region and Lithuania share, read a statement from the presidency. 

In response, Poland has tightened its border security. Some migrants on the Belarus-Poland border have sustained injuries, and several others have lost their lives as they were fenced in with no food or water.

President Barzani reiterated that the Region “will not be a part of causing troubles for the European countries,” it added.

Thousands of Iraqis and Kurds have traveled to Belarus in recent months with the help of smugglers, hoping to reach western Europe in a search for jobs and opportunities they feel they cannot access at home. Iraq repatriated four thousand people, including Kurds, from the Belarusian-Lithuanian border in 10 flights. 

President Barzani and Landsbergis also discussed the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS), as Lithuania is a part of the international coalition against the terror group.

Landsbergis arrived in Erbil following his visit to Baghdad. He met with his counterpart Fuad Hussein and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.