Barzani congratulated Bitner and wished him success in his new role, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. The Kurdish president also expressed his appreciation for the work of outgoing CG Mark Stroh, who was also present.
“The new US consul general reaffirmed the continued support and partnership of his country with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Both sides also stressed the importance of the Kurdistan parliamentary elections and hoped for a successful voting process,” the statement added.
Newly arrived U.S. Consul General Steve Bitner was honored to meet IKR President Nechirvan Barzani. They agreed on the importance of holding fair, transparent IKR elections October 20. They also discussed regional developments and working together to advance our shared… pic.twitter.com/LM39w5xaV8
— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USCGERBIL) August 14, 2024
Bitner is a senior foreign service officer and the previous director of the Office of Iraq Affairs at the State Department’s Near East Bureau.
In late June, Barzani set October 20 as the date for the vote, two years after its originally scheduled date. The election process has been marred in difficulties, with interference from Baghdad fueling tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s parties - particularly differences between the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Washington has had a strong relationship with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. Millions of dollars of US aid have been provided annually to the Kurdish Peshmerga, which is a key ally in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
The United States initially opened a diplomatic office in Erbil in February 2007, which was later upgraded to a consulate general in 2011. A new US consulate building, which is set to be its biggest, is under construction in the Kurdish capital.
