ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—“Broadening people-to-people contact” between Americans and Kurds, not just building governmental relationships is a goal of the new American Consul to the Kurdistan Region, Ken Gross.

Gross, a lawyer and 29-year veteran of the US State Department has previously worked in Germany, Nepal, Haiti, and Tajikistan. He has also spent four years in Iraq – one in Basra, from 2005 – 2006, followed by three years in Baghdad.

Arriving in the Kurdistan Region just five weeks ago, Gross has been impressed with Kurdish hospitality, “how open [Kurds] are to Americans, to everyone, and how open they are in sharing their culture, and sharing their life and sharing their history, which is very important for us as Americans to understand.”

He stressed the importance of making connections with individual people as a way of strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United States. During his time as Consul, he hopes to focus on “relationships between people and government, not just government.”