Shafaq News/ The President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, and Turkey’s Minister of Commerce, Mehmet Muş, held a meeting in Erbil on Sunday.

According to a readout issued by the Presidency, Barzani reiterated willingness to expand and strengthen Iraq and the Kurdistan Region’s economic and commercial relations with Turkey.

President Barzani and Minister Muş agreed that all obstacles to trade between the two sides must be removed.

President Barzani referred to Kurdistan Region’s economic and commercial relations with Turkey as important and strategic, and described Kurdistan Region’s investment laws as friendly regulations that encourage foreign investments.

The President expressed Kurdistan Region’s readiness to offer full support to Turkey’s commerce and investments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

President Barzani reiterated that investment opportunities for Turkish businesses in the Kurdistan Region are good and numerous and that Turkey’s economic gateway into Iraq’s greater market is through the Kurdistan Region; therefore Turkey’s new strategic planning to expand economic relations with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq needs to prioritize investments.

For his part, Minister of Commerce reaffirmed the willingness of his country to boost commercial ties and to expand economic cooperation with the Kurdistan Region. Dr. Muş referred to a number of successful Turkish investments in the regional countries which can also be emulated in the Kurdistan Region and be expanded further into Iraq.

During the meeting, which was attended by Kurdistan Region’s relevant ministers and officials, Turkey’s Ambassador to Iraq and a Turkish delegation, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on trade and commerce was highlighted.

Discussions also focused on the volume of Turkey’s trade with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, international standards of banking system and transfer of funds, financial courts, tourism and other topics of mutual interest.