[img]http://www.serbesti.net/AlaKurdistane.gif[/img] KRP.org, 15:46:59 27 Jan. 2009 US Ambassador Crocker meets Kurdistan Region's leadership in Erbil [img]http://www.krg.org/grafik/uploaded/2009/President_Barzani_Serok_Crocker__2009_01_27_h13m49s13__VR.jpg[/img]Erbil, Kurdistan Region – Iraq (KRP.org) United States Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker visited Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani as the Ambassador nears the completion of his tenure in Iraq. Ambassador Crocker thanked President Barzani and the people of Kurdistan Region for their cooperation. He noted that Iraq has come a long way since he started his work as US Ambassador to Iraq. Mr Crocker arrived in Baghdad in March 2007. For his part, President Barzani praised the US Ambassador's role in Iraq and expressed his happiness with the relations that have developed between the Kurdistan Region and the United States of America. The President described Ambassador Crocker as a close personal friend and a friend of the people of the Kurdistan Region. He hoped that this friendship would continue beyond his departure from Iraq. President Barzani talked about the sacrifices of the people of the Region. "Although our sacrifices far outweigh what we have achieved, our people are pleased with the new Iraq and we will continue to work for the building of a federal, democratic Iraq. We will defend the democratic process in Iraq and we will stand in the way of any efforts to return Iraq to dictatorship," President Barzani added. He also reiterated the Kurdistan Region's commitment to the Iraqi Constitution. As a symbol of friendship and appreciation for his role in Iraq, President Barzani awarded the Ambassador with a medal engraved with the emblem of the Kurdistan Region Presidency. Çavkanî: www.krg.org