Barzani calls for continued NATO, UK support for Peshmerga

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Kingdom to continue enhancing the defensive capabilities of the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Barzani, meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, discussed the military alliance’s training and counter-terror support for Kurdish and Iraqi forces and said it was important that this continue in order to “safeguard stability and security in the region,” read a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

Rutte reaffirmed NATO's “commitment to continuing support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” highlighting “the importance of the partnership with the Kurdistan Region to achieve security and stability in Iraq and counter terrorism threats in the region,” according to the statement.

Barzani also met with the United Kingdom’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell.

They discussed “bolstering security cooperation between Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the United Kingdom” and “coordination in countering terrorism and addressing the threat of the Islamic State (ISIS),” according to a statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency.

Barzani said British support was “essential,” particularly “in training the Peshmerga forces and enhancing their capabilities.”

Powell affirmed the UK’s “commitment to continuing support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and enhancing joint security cooperation to face the dangers and security threats,” the Kurdistan Region Presidency statement said.