President Barzani hopes for Germany to extend its counter-terrorism mission in Iraq

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the President of Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, received a German parliamentary delegation of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) headed by Nils Schmid, the SPD parliamentary group's spokesperson for foreign affairs in the German Bundestag.

In a statement, the Kurdish presidency said that both sides discussed the relations of Germany with Iraq and Kurdistan, the tasks of the German forces within the Global-Coalition mission in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi political developments, the Erbil – Baghdad outstanding issues, the economic situation, the democracy, and human rights in the region, the cooperation between the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces, and other matters of common interests.

President Barzani thanks the delegation "for the German humanitarian and military aid," as Iraq and the Kurdistan Region "need European assistance to strengthen their institutions and spread democracy."

Barzani stressed that Iraq and Kurdistan need international support because "ISIS still poses a threat in Iraq and Syria."

The Kurdish President hoped that Germany would extend its mission in Iraq and the Region as part of the Global Coalition "to eliminate ISIS."

In turn, the SDP delegation appreciated "the Peshmerga forces efforts in defeating ISIS, and praised the development and reconstruction in the Kurdistan Region."

The German delegation affirmed the "friendship and partnership" with the people of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.