Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Mladenov and Iraqi Kurdistan PM Nechirvan Barzani expressed their mutual desire to boost bilateral cooperation, after a meeting Thursday.

“If all Iraqis have the same social assets – stability and development – like those in Kurdistan, that would greatly help the political process in the country,” stated Mladenov.

Mladenov and Barzani met in Iraqi Kurdistan capital Erbil, after on Wednesday he officially unveiled Bulgaria’s embassy in Baghdad.

The two leaders agreed that Bulgaria will in very short time open a consulate for Iraqi Kurdistan in Erbil, with the region opening an envoy office in Bulgarian capital Sofia.

During the meeting, Mladenov stressed the interest of Bulgarian companies to do business in Iraq.

“You are welcome to use Kurdistan as an entry gate for the whole of Iraq,” stated Nechirvan Barzani.

The Iraqi Kurdistan PM further stressed that local businesses greatly need Bulgarian expertise, especially in the field of agriculture.

During his visit to the region, Bulgarian FM Mladenov also met with Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament speaker Arslan Bayez.

He also visited the local Society for Bulgarian-Kurdish Friendship, where he met Kurdish businessmen working with Bulgarian companies.