Macron to PM Barzani: Joint fight against terror strengthened Kurdistan, France friendship

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The French President in a letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister reiterated his country’s support for the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region.

In a meeting with the KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday, Dominic Mas, the French Consul in Erbil delivered a letter from the French President Emmanuel Macron.

According to a statement from the KRG, Macron said that the joint fight against terror has strengthened the deep and historic friendship between the French and Kurdistan people, stating that France “has always worked to recognize all Kurdish rights within the Iraqi Constitution.”

“In order to enhance our relations and guarantee the stability in the Kurdistan Region, I hope to jointly continue working with your government, as the Region’s stability is an important factor for Iraq and the Middle East,” Macron told Barzani.

Macron praised the dialogue between the KRG and the Iraqi government military delegations that have prevented further escalation, expressing the need for continued political dialogue to resolve all issues.

French President referred to his phone call with the Iraqi PM Haider al-Abadi on October 28, stating that he informed Abadi that restarting dialogue with the support of the UN is the only way to reach a long-standing peace in Iraq.

In the letter, Macron praised the role of the Kurdish leader President Masoud Barzani for his historic role during presidency terms and creating the new Iraq, also praised President Barzani’s role in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) whose command of the Peshmerga forces played a decisive role.

In the meeting with the French Consul, PM Barzani thanked the French President, people and the government for supporting the rights of the people of Kurdistan Region at all stages and in particular in the fight against IS extremists, where France supported the Peshmerga.  

Barzani expressed the KRG’s readiness for dialogue with the Iraqi government on the basis of the Constitution, hoping that the international community, especially the UN, play a bigger role in promoting constructive dialogue to guarantee security and stability and resolving the issues.

Editing by Sam A.