“I want you to know that our friendship, our relationship with you, with the Kurdish public is of enormous importance and we value that direct communication and the increasing economic relationship,” Johnson told Barzani.
Barzani is in the UK on a three-day trip to discuss strengthening relations. He has met Britain’s Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Johnson recalled fondly his visit to Erbil in 2015, when he met with British troops training the Peshmerga during the war against the Islamic State group (ISIS).
“I remember when I was in Erbil, I was allowed to drive a Jaguar. We had the biggest Jaguar Land Rover show of anywhere in that part of the world,” he said, and was pleased to hear from Barzani that the cars are still popular in the Kurdistan Region.
“It’s very popular and they are doing quite good business, not only in Kurdistan, but in all Iraq,” said Barzani.
Automotive trade between the UK and the Kurdistan Region is strong, according to Sardar Bebany, head of the leading automotive company in the Kurdistan Region, which buys around $100 million in vehicles annually.
After their meeting, Barzani tweeted he was "delighted" to meet Johnson and they discussed security issues and economic ties. "I appreciate the PM’s continued commitment to further strengthening ties with KR [Kurdistan Region] & Iraq," he said.
Delighted to meet the British PM @BorisJohnson in Londan today. We discussed KR-UK ties, increased threat of terror, regional stability and areas of potential cooperation, including economy. I appreciate the PM’s continued commitment to further strengthening ties with KR & Iraq. pic.twitter.com/mRPeQNnkp7
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) September 17, 2021
Britain's ambassador to Iraq, Mark Bryson-Richardson, said the meeting of Barzani and Johnson was "excellent," highlighting the partnership between the UK and the Kurdistan Region as well as the personal relationship between the two leaders.
“They have a very close friendly relationship, building on the relationship over a number of years including President Barzani’s last visit here to the UK and the prime minister's visit to Erbil back in 2015 where they also had the opportunity to engage. So it’s a chance for them to reconnect, to continue that dialogue together," he told Rudaw's Alla Shahly.
Barzani on Friday also visited the UK’s Sandhurst military academy to present awards to two female Peshmerga who are studying at the prestigious institution.
“We visited the UK’s Royal Military Academy. We were happy to see that, as part of the program they currently have, two women have attended from the Kurdistan Region. It is an honor that they are being trained here, and we hope that they can implement what they learn here during this period in the Ministry of Peshmerga. We hope that we can send more people from the Ministry of Peshmerga to this academy. This is in the framework of the program with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani told reporters.
The UK has helped to train the Kurdish Peshmerga during the war on ISIS and is part of a team of international allies working on major reforms of the Peshmerga ministry.
Defence Secretary Wallace said it was a “pleasure” to meet Barzani and discuss “our shared interest in regional stability.”
“The UK has an enduring commitment to the people of Kurdistan. We continue to support this through military education of Kurds and Iraqis in our outstanding institutions, building strong links between our militaries,” he tweeted.
Foreign Secretary Truss said she reassured Barzani of the British government’s commitment to stability of the Kurdistan Region, October 10, elections, and growing trade between them.
It was her first meeting with a foreign representative in her role as foreign secretary after a cabinet shuffle on Wednesday. Barzani said they discussed “ways to further improve our strong bilateral ties, UK’s support to KR [Kurdistan Region], regional stability, along with other pressing issues.”
The UK has been an important ally of the Kurdistan Region for decades. Thirty years ago, former British premier Sir John Major played a key role in declaring a no-fly zone in the north of Iraq, providing a safe haven from the Baath regime that allowed Kurds to gain some autonomy. An Erbil street was named after him in April.
Updated at 6:58 pm
.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
