Kurdish president starts European tour

Arbil-Speaker ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: President of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, on Monday started a foreign tour, which will take him to a number of European countries, according to his press secretary. “Barzani left Arbil on Monday evening (Feb. 23), to start a multi-leg European tour which will take him first to Austria,” Faisal al-Dabagh told IraqiNews.com news agency. For his part, the head of the Kurdistan president divan, Fouad Hussein, said that the European tour will include several official meetings to activate the European role in Iraq and the whole, region, noting that it includes a meeting with the Vatican Pope. “Barzani will visit Italy, Germany, Britain, and other European countries during the tour which will last for weeks,” Hussein told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The Kurdish president will meet Pope Benedict XVI,” he noted. “Barzani’s talks in Europe will focus on means of activating the European role in the region and setting up new economic ties, mainly with Kurdistan region,” he added. SH (P)/SR 1