Found: Committee Member Vice Chair APPG for Friends of Syria Vice Chair APPG for Jordan Secretary APPG for Kurdistan

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his department is taking to promote relations between the UK and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports a secure, stable, and thriving Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. The UK regularly engages with leaders of the KRI and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including through their representations in London. We maintain our diplomatic presence in the KRI through the British Consulate General in Erbil. Through this platform, we cooperate closely on our shared bilateral priorities, such as security and migration issues.

The importance of our strategic partnership with the KRI was further reinforced by visits of the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon in March 2023, and Security Minister, Tom Tughendhat in August.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to provide economic support to the Kurdistan Regional Government in the last 12 months.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports a secure, stable and thriving Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Through our diplomatic engagements, we continue to encourage all parties to work together to resolve outstanding regional issues. The importance of our strong and strategic partnership with the KRI was further reinforced during visits by the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon in March, and Security Minister Tom Tughendhat in August this year. Through various funding mechanisms, including Official Development Assistance, and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the UK continues to support efforts to tackle underlying drivers of instability across Iraq and KRI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq on disputes between the Kurdistan Regional and Iraqi Governments.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government commends the vital work of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq which continues to play a vital role in supporting the Iraqi people. The UK remains committed to supporting the stability and security of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI). We welcome and encourage ongoing cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil to resolve outstanding issues where they exist, including around budget, security cooperation and the oil and gas sector.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2023 to Question 130041 on Iraq: Kurds, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure there is a strong and successful Kurdistan region within Iraq.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports a secure, stable and thriving Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Through our diplomatic engagements, we continue to encourage all parties to work together to resolve outstanding regional issues. The importance of our strong and strategic partnership with the KRI was further reinforced during visits by the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon in March, and Security Minister Tom Tughendhat in August this year. Through various funding mechanisms, including Official Development Assistance, and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the UK continues to support efforts to tackle underlying drivers of instability across Iraq and KRI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's bilateral relationship with the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports a secure, stable and thriving Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Through our diplomatic engagements, we continue to encourage all parties to work together to resolve outstanding regional issues. The importance of our strong and strategic partnership with the KRI was further reinforced during visits by the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon in March, and Security Minister Tom Tughendhat in August this year. Through various funding mechanisms, including Official Development Assistance, and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, the UK continues to support efforts to tackle underlying drivers of instability across Iraq and KRI.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of whether the oil pipeline between the Kurdistan Region in Iraq and Turkey will be re-opened.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports a secure, stable, and thriving Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Through our diplomatic engagements, we continue to encourage all parties to work together to find a satisfactory and speedy resolution, noting the importance of oil exports via the pipeline to the health of the economy of the KRI and to Iraq.

It would not be appropriate, given the ongoing negotiations between the governments of Iraq and Turkey regarding the pipeline, for HMG to speculate on any timelines for its reopening.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of bilateral relations between the UK and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains committed to strong relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government and Federal Government of Iraq and we want to see a strong and successful Kurdistan region within a thriving Iraq. We have a close and strategic partnership with the Kurdish Regional Government who continue to be a close ally in the fight against Daesh. In April 2022, the Prime Minister of the Kurdish Region of Iraq, Masrour Barzani, came to the UK on an official visit, meeting with the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other Cabinet Ministers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the strength of the bilateral relationship between the UK and the Kurdistan region in Iraq; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We have a close and strategic relationship with the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government is a close ally in the fight against Daesh and we continue to cooperate closely on security and wider issues. UK Ministerial engagement is strong. The President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, visited the UK in September 2021. In April 2022, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Masrour Barzani, visited the UK. Both met the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, amongst others.

Found: Region in Iraq.

Fruitful discussion with the Governor of #Duhok in Kurdistan. We discussed the importance of supporting the return of IDPs that are being hosted in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. https://t.co/nm6SkgFzud

The UK and the Kurdistan Region are good partners and friends. Kurdistan Region in Iraq PM @masrourbarzani and I discussed the UK-KRI relationship, including UK support for the Government’s priorities. We agreed on the importance of close cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad. https://t.co/9T5MG4FT4d