Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani received US Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Barbara A. Leaf and discussed the politics of the Kurdistan Region and relations between Erbil and Baghdad.
The meeting was held in Erbil on May 4, 2023 and was attended by member of PUK politburo executive body Darbaz Kosrat Rasul, deputy director of foreign relations department of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Daban Shadala, Alina Romanosky, US Ambassador to Iraq and Ervin Hicks, US general consul for the Kurdistan region.
Qubad Talabani said that the internal problems have created a threat to the position of the region and we should all try to resolve the internal problems with a sense of responsibility and political and party conflict should not reach the level of crossing national red lines.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that we welcome any initiative to resolve the issues and are ready to form a joint committee to resolve all the points of disagreement, even with the participation of representatives of our allies.
He said that after many years of security, political and economic instability, as well as unnecessary political and party conflict, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region need a long period of stability and peace so that they can work together on economic development and market recovery and Kurdistan cannot tolerate unnecessary party conflict.
They also discussed freedom of expression in Kurdistan and the Deputy Prime Minister said that we have always been proud to provide freedom of expression and freedom of the press, but unfortunately recently we have faced criticism from our friends. He stressed that we must look at ourselves so that the name and reputation of the region at the international level is not tarnished by violations of freedoms.