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Ashton urges Baghdad, Iraq''s Kurdistan to address sticky issues

(With photo) ARBIL, June 17 (KUNA) -- EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called on Iraq's Kurdistan province and the federal government in Baghdad Monday to work together to address their sticky issues.
Ashton, during a meeting with Iraq's Kurdistan province's president Masoud Barzani, called on both sides to continue exchange of visits and dialogue to solve their differences, a source in the province's presidency told KUNA.
Barzani, who welcomed Ashton, said the Kurds were eager for democracy and coexistence, and that the problems in Iraq were caused by failure to abide by partnership and coexistence.
The two sides, meanwhile, discussed the oil policy of Iraq's Kurdistan and the Syrian refugees in the province. Barzani urged the EU to exercise pressure upon the international community to pay more attention to the refugees.
Barzani urged Ashton to highlight the former Iraqi regime's chemical attack and genocide against the Kurds.
Ashton promised to shed more light on these crimes, and thanked the province of hosting the Syrian refugees, said the source.
Ashton arrived in Baghdad earlier today and met with prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki, his deputy for energy affairs Hussein Shahrestani and parliament speaker Osama Al-Nujaifi to discuss the Iranian nuclear program and Syrian conflict. (end) sbr.bs KUNA 172321 Jun 13NNNN