Kurdistan
The UK’s Ambassador to Iraq Mark Bryson-Richardson (left) and Kurdistan Region’s President Nechirvan Barzani (right) meet in Erbil on May 7, 2023. Photo: Office of the President
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Iraq Mark Bryson-Richardson on Sunday met with Kurdistan Region’s President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani separately, stressing the importance of holding the Region’s parliamentary elections on time.
“Both sides positively addressed the development and understanding between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve outstanding issues, and they agreed on the importance of resolving the Kurdistan Region’s internal political disagreements and holding the elections on its scheduled time,” read a statement from President Barzani’s office regarding the meeting.
Similar thoughts were echoed in the British ambassador’s meetings with the PM and the KDP leader.
The Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections are set to be held on November 18, over a year removed from its originally scheduled date. The Region was set to hold the elections last year, but it was postponed due to continued disagreements between the blocs over the current electoral law and the electoral commission.
The blocs are yet to reach an understanding on this issue, which could threaten a further delay the elections process.
Further strengthening bilateral relations, Erbil-Baghdad issues, and the latest developments in the security situation in Shingal (Sinjar) were also discussed in the meetings with the British ambassador.
“We discussed the need to implement the Sinjar Agreement. We reaffirmed our support for protecting the full rights of the Yazidis and developing a culture of peaceful coexistence between all components,” read a statement from PM Barzani’s office.
The Yazidi heartland of Shingal still suffers from the aftermath of the Islamic State’s (ISIS) occupation in 2014. Nearly nine years later, the city remains unstable due to insecurity and lack of basic services. Baghdad and Erbil signed an agreement in 2020 to return security to Shingal, but it has yet to be fully implemented.
The UK has been a major military ally to the Kurdistan Region throughout the years. In 1991, former British premier Sir John Major played a key role in declaring a no-fly zone in the north of Iraq, providing a safe haven from the Baathist regime that allowed Kurds to gain some autonomy. An Erbil street was named after him in April 2021.
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