From Baghdad, Macron promises continued French support for Kurdistan Region
The presidents of the Kurdistan Region and France met in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday to discuss multiple issues that included relations between their two governments.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The presidents of the Kurdistan Region and France met in the Iraqi capital on Wednesday to discuss multiple issues that included relations between their two governments, Erbil-Baghdad disputes, and the serious threat still posed by the Islamic State.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Baghdad that morning for a private meeting later in the day with French President Emmanuel Macron, the first Western head of state to visit Iraq since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office in May.
During the meeting, President Barzani extended his thanks and gratitude toward both Macron and France for their continues support of the autonomous region, including for efforts to resolve its longstanding issues with Baghdad, and for backing the constitutional rights of the Kurdish people.
The two leaders discussed at length various political developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as well as ways to further develop relations between their governments.
According to a statement released by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), President Macron praised the Peshmerga’s role in defeating the Islamic State's so-called caliphate in Iraq and reiterated France’s support of the region in efforts to negotiate crucial disputes with Baghdad on issues including oil, budget, and territory claimed by both. They agreed that resolving such disputes is key to Iraqi national stability and that the international community’s cooperation was vital to the process.
In the meeting, Barzani and Macron also highlighted continued Islamic State activity in Iraq and the importance of continuing the fight against its extremist fighters to ensure the security of Iraq and the region.
In this respect, France appeared closer to the KRG position than the US, which tends to emphasize the losses that the Islamic State has suffered, while Macron and Barzani together stressed the significant continued threat.
Since its territorial defeat in late 2017, the Islamic State has continued to stage regular attacks in several areas across Iraq, prominent among them the disputed territories.
There have been several attacks in recent weeks across these areas that have killed multiple security force members and civilians.
On Sunday, General Jabar Yawar, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Peshmerga, said that the Islamic State has been behind 147 separate incidents in territories disputed by the regional and federal governments that have resulted in 650 casualties.
During his short visit to Baghdad, French President Macron also met with Iraqi's top three federal officials, Prime Minister Kadhimi, President Barham Salih, and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.
Editing by John J. Catherine
