Barzani, UN envoy discuss elections and Erbil–Baghdad relations

ERBIL — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met Monday with Mohammed Al-Hassan, the representative of the UN secretary-general, to discuss Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections and ongoing relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

A statement from the presidency said Barzani and Al-Hassan “underlined the importance of the elections and of conducting a fair and transparent voting process in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole.”

Both expressed hope that “the elections and their results will move Iraq and the Kurdistan Region toward a better stage in every respect.”

The meeting came a day after special voting was held for members of the security forces and displaced persons ahead of the November 11 general elections. The Independent High Electoral Commission reported an 82.52% turnout, with 1,084,289 security personnel and 20,527 displaced voters participating. The commission said manual and electronic counts matched exactly and confirmed preparations are complete for Tuesday’s general vote across all governorates.

Full statement from Kurdistan Region Presidency:

President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Region received Mohammed Al-Hassan, Representative of the UN Secretary-General.

In their meeting, they discussed the general situation in Iraq, the elections for the Iraqi Council of Representatives, and relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

Both sides underlined the importance of the elections and of conducting a fair and transparent voting process in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole. They also expressed their hope that the elections and their results will move Iraq and the Kurdistan Region toward a better stage in every respect.

The two sides agreed on the importance of resolving Erbil-Baghdad issues through dialogue and understanding and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting stability and security in Iraq.

The latest developments in the wider region were also discussed during the meeting.