France’s outgoing Consul General optimistic about KRG’s reform campaign

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a recent interview, Dominique Mas, the outgoing Consul General of France in Erbil, expressed his confidence in the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) path toward development.

Kurdistan 24’s Yadgar Fayeq spoke to the French diplomat last week during a segment on the network. In the interview, Mas highlighted the “serious efforts taken by the KRG’s ninth cabinet toward reform and solving Erbil-Baghdad issues, especially the situation in the disputed territories.”    

The outgoing Consul General praised France’s support toward the autonomous Kurdish region, noting his county would maintain strong ties because “France has always stood by the Kurdistan Region, especially during their fight against [ISIS] and providing humanitarian aid.”

“Since 2014, France has given asylum to 6,000 Yezidi (Ezidi) and Christian refugees from Iraq, who survived the rule of ISIS,” he added.

Mas also reassured the continuation of strong relations between Kurdistan and France when his successor begins his duties in the Kurdistan Region. He also revealed French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to visit the Kurdish region in late 2019.

In another part of the interview, Mas praised the decisive role of the United Nations in helping ease tensions between Erbil and Baghdad, mainly related to the issues of disputed territories.

“France always supports peaceful roundtable discussions” to tackle the disputes between the KRG and Federal Government of Iraq, the French diplomat stated.

France played a pivotal role in easing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad following the Kurdistan Region’s 2017 independence referendum – which included territories disputed between the two administrations – with a majority voting for secession.

France is an important member of the US-led coalition against the so-called Islamic State. Since 2014, the French government has provided humanitarian, logistical, and military support to the Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the fight against the extremist group. 

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany