France 'appreciates' KRG efforts in combating human smuggling networks 

Barzani and Le Drian spoke about the issue in a phone call on Monday. 
Merged photos of PM Barzani (left) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Merged photos of PM Barzani (left) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian extended France's appreciation to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for their efforts to combat the human smuggling networks exploiting migrants trying to reach Europe.

Barzani and Le Drian spoke about the issue in a phone call on Sunday evening. 

They agreed that the stranded Iraqi migrants on the Polish-Belarusian border are the "victims of human traffickers, smugglers, and a political game," according to a statement from the prime minister's office. 

The Kurdish prime minister also expressed his government's readiness to cooperate in bringing back migrants who "voluntarily" agree to return. A group of migrants recently returned to Erbil and Baghdad, Barzani told the French official. 

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Barzani asked Le Drian to help deliver aid to the migrants still stranded at the European borders, according to the statement. 

The French minister, in turn, said he "appreciated" the measures the KRG has taken against the human smuggling networks, which Europe and the Kurdistan Region accuse of exploiting the migrants. 

Le Drian also thanked Barzani for his "quick" approach to solving the issue in cooperation with the Iraqi government and the European countries. 

They reaffirmed the importance of continuing bilateral cooperation and relations. They also discussed the US presence in the Middle East.