President Barzani arrives in France

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani arrived in Paris, France on Wednesday for an official visit to meet with French representatives including President François Hollande.

President Barzani is scheduled to meet with the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the Mayor of Paris during the first day of the visit.

According to the French Presidency website, the Elysee, President Barzani will meet with Hollande on Sep. 8, 2016, at 5:00 p.m.

Fuad Hussein, the Chief of Staff of the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP), previously told Kurdistan24 that “President Barzani would hold diplomatic meetings in Europe soon.”

According to information obtained by Kurdistan24, the President will visit Europe and discuss the Mosul liberation and the war against the Islamic State (IS).

He will also address the developments in the region and the independence referendum.

France is known for having historical relations with the Kurdistan Region.

In 1992, it played a significant role in the United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 688 for Operation Provide Comfort (OPC).

The operation helped those people of Kurdistan who fled to the mountains on the Turkey-Iran borders fearing the massacre from the former Iraqi regime.

Additionally, Hollande was the first world president who visited the Region on Sep. 12, 2014, following IS attacks in August 2014.

France, aside from its involvement in the US-led international coalition to combat IS, provides military support, including rockets, machine guns, ammunition and other equipment to Peshmerga forces.

IS captured millions of dollars’ worth of US-made military equipment when it decimated the Iraqi troops in a lightning campaign in June 2014.

Editing by Ava Homa and Karzan Sulaivany