Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Barzani

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met yesterday with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Washington.  The Secretary and the Prime Minister underscored the importance of the U.S. partnership with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) in the context of their mutual, enduring commitment to regional security and their shared values, including good governance and respect for human rights.  Secretary Blinken expressed support for constructive collaboration between the Iraqi government and the KRG, as well as greater unity within the IKR, to advance stability and economic prosperity for all of Iraq’s people.  The leaders also discussed the importance of Kurdish participation in the U.S.-Iraq Higher Military Commission, which will enable the transition to an enduring bilateral security partnership between the United States and Iraq, including the Kurdistan region.  Furthermore, the Secretary emphasized that U.S. support for a resilient IKR would continue to be a cornerstone of the dynamic, broad-based relationship that the United States enjoys with Iraq.