ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday received Italian Ambassador to Iraq Niccolo Fontana in Erbil to discuss Italy’s relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The meeting touched on the latest political developments in the region, including the events in Syria and the peace talks between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The two officials “exchanged views on the situation in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq and the latest developments in the region,” said a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. They further discussed bilateral ties between Erbil and Rome, affirming “their desire to enhance relations and expand joint cooperation in various fields.”
President Barzani and Fontana additionally discussed the efforts to form the Kurdistan Region’s upcoming government, describing the progress as positive, the Presidency’s statement added.
The Kurdistan Region held long-overdue parliamentary elections in October. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) came out on top, securing 39 spots in the 100-seat legislature, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) came in second with 23 seats.
Since no single party won a majority, a governing coalition will need to be formed, as has traditionally been the case, to form a new cabinet. However, the two parties have not yet finalized their agreement.
The KDP and PUK on Tuesday announced that they “have agreed on a final draft outlining their joint vision for the next phase,” and that this outline “will be instrumental in forming the [Kurdistan Region’s next] government” and “to better serve [the Region’s] citizens.”
The Kurdistan Region Presidency’s Wednesday statement further noted that the two officials discussed regional developments, namely the situation in Syria and the peace process between Turkey and the PKK, among other things.
In late February, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his group to disarm and dissolve in a bid to end the conflict between the two sides that has been ongoing for four-decades and claimed the lives of around 40,000 people.
President Barzani voiced his support for the Ocalan’s peace, describing it as a “positive step” and urging the PKK to uphold it. He then reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to supporting peaceful and democratic solutions.
Italy enjoys good ties with the Kurdistan Region. During an interview with Rudaw early last year, Fontana’s predecessor, Maurizio Greganti, said that Rome enjoys “excellent” relations with Erbil, adding that Italians and Kurds are very close. Greganti said that Italy is “very active” with regards to business in the Kurdistan Region, and its embassy tries to bring more Italian investments into the Region.
Italy is also a member of the US-led global coalition to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS), that was formed in 2014 after the group captured large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
