Kurdistan President welcomes new US Consul, seeks strengthened cooperation

Shafaq News/ President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, congratulated Steve Bitner on Wednesday as he took office as the new US Consul General in the Kurdistan Region. The meeting also included former Consul General Mark Stroh.

According to a statement from the Kurdish Presidency, Barzani expressed his “best wishes” for Bitner and reiterated the region's commitment to deepening its collaboration with the United States.

Bitner reaffirmed Washington's "ongoing support and partnership with both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region."

Discussions also addressed the current situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, emphasizing the significance of the upcoming Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections.

In turn, Stroh expressed his gratitude for the support he received from the Kurdistan Region during his tenure.

A statement from the US Embassy in Iraq noted, "Newly arrived US Consul General Steve Bitner was honored to meet IKR President Nechirvan Barzani. They agreed on the importance of holding fair, transparent IKR elections on October 20 and discussed regional developments and collaboration to advance shared priorities."