ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met on the sidelines of the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Antalya on Wednesday to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional diplomacy.
"During the meeting, they discussed Syria’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as developing and expanding areas of cooperation and coordination to serve mutual interests," read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
"Regarding the regional situation, both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue and peaceful, diplomatic solutions to resolve issues and tensions," the presidency stated.
Barzani "stressed the importance of protecting Kurdish rights and ensuring they are guaranteed in the Syrian constitution" and expressed hope that Sharaa would visit Baghdad and Erbil in the near future.
The meeting follows an official visit to Damascus in early August, where Barzani met with Sharaa to discuss economic cooperation and political stability.
Following those discussions, the Syrian presidency noted that the two sides addressed "ways to enhance cooperation and coordination, especially in the economic field, alongside addressing recent developments in the regional situation, and a number of issues of common interest, contributing to supporting security and stability and enhancing regional cooperation.”
Barzani stated on X that Syria has "a historic opportunity to recover, rebuild, and prosper," affirming "confidence" in Sharaa's leadership to move the country toward stability and prosperity.
The talks in Turkey build on a series of high-level contacts between Erbil and Damascus over the past two years, including direct meetings between Barzani and Sharaa at prior diplomatic forums in Antalya.
Kurdish officials have also engaged in bilateral discussions with senior Syrian officials on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference as part of broader efforts to coordinate on regional issues.
These sustained engagements come amid expanding diplomacy between the Kurdistan Region and Syria's leadership alongside ongoing regional security challenges following months of conflict between the United States and Iran.
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