Italian defense minister to visit Erbil

4 hours ago
Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto is set to arrive in the Kurdistan Region on Saturday to meet with senior officials and the Peshmerga ministry. 

Crosetto will “visit the Kurdistan Region and be received by Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail,” Shako Osman, spokesperson for the Peshmerga ministry, told Rudaw. 

The minister will also visit Italian troops stationed in the Kurdistan Region as part of the United States-led coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), military advisors, and the Italian consulate in Erbil, before holding several meetings with senior Kurdish officials, according to the Peshmerga ministry. 

Earlier this year, Rome upgraded its consulate in Erbil to a consulate general. 

Italy is a member of the global anti-ISIS coalition, formed in 2014 when the jihadists seized swathes of land in Iraq and Syria. 

During an April interview with Rudaw, former Italian envoy to Iraq Maurizio Greganti said that Rome enjoys “excellent” relations with Erbil and that Italians and Kurds are very close. 

He also said that the Italian embassy actively tries to bring more investment into the Kurdistan Region. 

Earlier this month, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Italian Ambassador to Iraq Niccolo Fontana, reiterating Erbil’s desire to strengthen ties with Rome.
 

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