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Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (left) shakes hands with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna on July 2, 2024. Photo: Office of President Barzani
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani kicked off high-level meetings in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Tuesday by meeting with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
“The two parties stressed enhancing Austria’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, especially in the fields of economy and commerce, and also highlighted the political situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” read a statement from the Kurdistan Region presidency.
Schallenberg reiterated Austria’s commitment to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, while Barzani highlighted Erbil and Vienna’s “long-standing” relations, according to the statement.
Advancing diplomatic relations to the consular level, Erbil-Baghdad issues, migration issues and other topics also were tackled during the meeting between Barzani and Schallenberg.
It was a pleasure to meet with Austrian Foreign Minister @a_schallenberg again in Vienna. We discussed our bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s relations with Austria. pic.twitter.com/aZfw8t3xIv
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) July 2, 2024
“Yes there is a [commercial] office now, but we are eyeing opening a consulate as well… the efforts continue and I hope this [Barzani’s] trip leads to expediting the opening of the consulate,” Iraq’s Ambassador to Vienna Bakir Fatah told Rudaw on Monday.
Austria closed its embassy in Baghdad in 1991 over security concerns. The country had a representation in the Iraqi capital since 2022, and reopened its embassy in September. It does not have a consulate in Erbil but has had a commercial office in the Kurdish capital since 2006.
Barzani arrived in Vienna on Monday for an official visit and is also set to meet with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. In the meetings with the Austrian officials, the Kurdish leader will highlight opportunities and avenues to strengthen Vienna’s ties with Erbil and Baghdad, according to the Kurdistan Region presidency.
Barzani has been on several official diplomatic trips this year, making key visits to Iran and the United Arab Emirates and participating in diplomatic forums such as the Munich Security Conference and the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
Barzani and Schallenberg also met earlier this year at the Munich Conference, discussing enhanced bilateral cooperation.
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