PM Barzani hails historical role of late Danielle Mitterrand in meeting with her son 

Gilbert Mitterrand is currently the head of the France Libertés – Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, a non-profit charity organization founded by the former French First Lady. 
PM Barzani during his meeting with Gilbert Mitterrand, the son of the late former French First Lady Danielle Mitterrand, in Erbil, Dec. 7, 2021. (Photo: KRG)
PM Barzani during his meeting with Gilbert Mitterrand, the son of the late former French First Lady Danielle Mitterrand, in Erbil, Dec. 7, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani praised the historical role of the late activist and former French First Lady Danielle Mitterrand in supporting the Kurdish cause during a meeting with her son Gilbert Mitterrand on Tuesday. 

In the meeting, attended by the French Ambassador to Iraq Eric Chevallier, Barzani highlighted the friendly relations that Madam Mitterrand and President Francois Mitterrand had with the Kurdish people and the support they gave Kurds during “difficult times”. 

They will always be remembered for the “historic stances” they took in supporting Kurdish people, Barzani told Mitterrand, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. 

Gilbert Mitterrand is currently the head of the France Libertés – Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, a non-profit charity organization founded by the former French First Lady. 

“The development of Kurdistan Region and its Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are hopeful,” Mitterrand told Prime Minister Barzani. 

He also expressed his willingness to support the Kurdistan Region in the international community, according to the statement. 

PM Barzani (top right) during his meeting with Gilbert Mitterrand, the son of the late former French First Lady Danielle Mitterrand, in Erbil, Dec. 7, 2021. (Photo: KRG)
PM Barzani (top right) during his meeting with Gilbert Mitterrand, the son of the late former French First Lady Danielle Mitterrand, in Erbil, Dec. 7, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

Earlier Tuesday, Mitterrand was invited to the Kurdistan Parliament, where he gave a speech that emphasized the historical relations between the European country and the Kurdistan Region.

A photo exhibition displaying historical photos of Danielle Mitterrand and her visits to the Kurdistan Region was also set up at the entrance of the parliament. 

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The former French First Lady played a decisive role in urging world leaders to aid and protect the persecuted Kurdish region from Saddam Hussein’s military in 1991. She visited the nearly two million refugees who had fled a ferocious Iraqi assault to the Turkish and Iranian borders that year.

She was a strong advocate for establishing the no-fly zone over the Kurdistan Region to protect it against Saddam’s warplanes and helicopter gunships. She was later named “Mother of the Kurds” by the Kurdish leadership for her support.

Mitterrand also extended her support to the Kurds of Turkey and Iran. She sent observers to the court hearings of Kurdish activists in Turkey in the 1980s and raised awareness of the Kurdish issue in that country.

Schools in the Kurdistan Region cities of Erbil and Sulaimani are named after Mitterrand to honor her support for the Kurdish cause.