In the meeting, which was attended by the Kurdistan Region Vice Presidents, the latest political and security developments in Iraq, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy of the country, and the efforts to contain the outbreak were discussed.

According to Kurdistan Region presidency website the two sides also shed light on the ongoing Erbil-Baghdad talks, which are aimed at resolving the pending issues between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Region.

The President and the Prime Minister also traded view on the resurgence of ISIS terror activities and developments in the wider region.

Barzani and al-Kadhimi reiterated the importance of cooperation and the participation of all communities and parties in facing the current challenges and overcoming the crises, stressing that cooperation and coordination between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi army are crucial in confronting the threats of terror and the eradication of ISIS.

On the issue of the Erbil-Baghdad disagreements, Barzani and Prime al-Kadhimi reaffirmed their support for the continuation of talks to reach a conclusive agreement that will bring an end to all the pending issues in accordance to the constitution and called for more cooperation between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government in all fields is essential to overcome the current impasses.

Prime Minister Kadhimi underlined the significance of restoring trust and stated that the pending issues between Baghdad and Erbil have not properly been addressed. He expressed hope that the two sides take a new and mutual approach to find solutions to the current differences.

On his part, President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated that resolving the pending issues conclusively will serve all of Iraq and restore stability to the country.

Iraq and Kurdistan Region’s relations with the neighboring countries, protecting the border areas, safeguarding the sovereignty of Iraq, and Al-Kadhimi’s recent visit to the United States were also highlighted in the meeting.

Both sides also shed light on the current visit of President Emmanuel Macron of France to Iraq and the mission of the international coalition against ISIS.

Barzani further stated that the international community is willing to offer support to Iraq and it is imperative that Iraq benefits from this opportunity.

Reporter’s code: 50101