ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, highlighting the importance of Erbil-Washington cooperation, coordination and the strengthening of shared values, said the Kurdish presidency on Thursday.
President Barzani had sent a letter to Trump after his inauguration. In response, the American leader on Thursday sent a handwritten letter to Barzani.
"In the letter, President Trump, while expressing gratitude for President Nechirvan Barzani's letter, emphasized cooperation, mutual collaboration, and the promotion of shared values with the Kurdistan Region," read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
Trump "expressed his hopes for success at the end of his letter," the statement added.
US and the Kurdistan Region enjoy strong relations, with Washington providing financial and military support to Erbil for years.
The Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Region played a key role in defeating the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2017, with support from the US-led global coalition. This came after three years of the group's reign.
In a recent interview with Rudaw, President Barzani commended the US leader for his efforts to bring peace to the world.
"What we see in Mr. Trump's policy as US President, he wants peace to be established everywhere. This, in my opinion, just this message in itself... deserves much appreciation and respect," said Barzani, adding that the US is "the world's greatest superpower and it truly can play its role [effectively]."
Barzani also said that everyone should welcome Trump's initiative to establish peace.
"When the US president says our policy aims to establish peace in all countries, we must all welcome this initiative, and serious efforts should be made so that peace is established everywhere just as he says and per the goal he has set for himself to end wars," he noted.
