France Lauds Peshmerga’s Valor; President Barzani Calls Kurdish-French Ties ‘Enduring’

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a meeting that celebrated the deep and historic bonds of friendship between the Kurdish and French peoples, President Masoud Barzani on Tuesday warmly welcomed the French Ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, and expressed his profound gratitude for the recent, highly symbolic naming of a "Peshmerga Alley" in the heart of Paris. President Barzani described the gesture as a powerful recognition of the Peshmerga's long and arduous struggle for freedom and their pivotal role in the global fight against terrorism. 

The meeting also provided an opportunity for the President to address the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections, where he confirmed that despite having "many reservations" about the current, flawed electoral law, the Kurdish leadership has chosen to participate, while also issuing a powerful call for all parties committed to transparency to work together after the vote to pass a new, just, and equitable election law.

The meeting, which took place in Pirmam on Tuesday and was also attended by the French Consul General in Erbil, Yann Braem, was a clear and powerful reaffirmation of the strategic and enduring partnership between the Kurdistan Region and France.

Ambassador Durel began the meeting by extending his sincere thanks to President Barzani for his personal participation in the opening ceremony of the Peshmerga Alley in Paris. He described the event as a "positive step towards deepening the relations between the people and government of France and the Kurdistan Region."

The ambassador explained that the naming of the alley was a deliberate and deeply meaningful act, intended as a "symbol of the French people's respect and appreciation for the sacrifice and prominent role of the Kurdistan Peshmerga forces in confronting and defeating ISIS and terrorist groups and protecting the security and stability of the region."

He also took the opportunity to reiterate his country's continued and unwavering support for both the Peshmerga forces and the Kurdistan Region as a whole.

For his part, President Barzani responded with equal warmth and gratitude. He extended his thanks to the people and government of France, as well as to the municipality and the mayor of Paris, for the "historic decision they made to open the Peshmerga Alley in the heart of Paris."

He described the honor as a "symbol of the Peshmerga's struggle and sacrifice for freedom," a poignant recognition of a fighting force that has for decades stood on the front lines in the defense of the Kurdish people and, more recently, in the defense of the entire civilized world against the barbarism of ISIS.

This deep and historically rooted relationship between France and the Kurdistan Region has been a cornerstone of the region's engagement with the West.

 France played a pivotal role in the establishment of the no-fly zone in 1991, which protected the Kurdish population from the brutality of Saddam Hussein's regime and allowed for the birth of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). In the years since, Paris has been a consistent and reliable partner, providing strong diplomatic, military, and humanitarian support, particularly during the war against ISIS.

French President Emmanuel Macron has visited Iraq and the Kurdistan Region multiple times, consistently positioning his country as a key Western ally advocating for Iraq's sovereignty and the Kurdistan Region's constitutional rights within a federal framework. 

Beyond the celebration of this historic friendship, the meeting also delved into the pressing political issues of the day, most notably the upcoming election for the Iraqi Council of Representatives.

President Barzani provided a clear and candid assessment of the Kurdish leadership's position. He stated that "despite our many reservations about the Iraqi election law, which has many shortcomings, we will participate in the election."

He then laid out a clear and forward-looking vision for what must happen after the votes are cast. "It is important that after the election, all those political parties that want transparency in the election work together on passing a law for the elections that contains equality and justice," he declared. This call for a post-election coalition dedicated to electoral reform is a direct response to the deep and long-standing flaws in the current system.

President Barzani explained the historical context of this flawed law. "The law that is currently in effect is the law from 2010," he noted, "and at that time we were promised that Article 140 of the constitution would be implemented and the law would only be in effect for one election cycle, but this law is still in effect and the promises were not fulfilled."

This broken promise has had profound and damaging consequences, perpetuating an electoral system that the Kurdish leadership views as fundamentally unfair and leaving critical constitutional issues, like the fate of the disputed territories under Article 140, unresolved.

The President's focus on constitutional rights and federal principles was also a central theme of a separate meeting held on the same day between Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Ambassador Durel.

In that meeting, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the KRG's commitment to maintaining the best possible relations with Baghdad, but stressed that such a relationship must be "based on mutual respect for constitutional rights and the federal status of the Kurdistan Region." 

He emphasized the need for Baghdad to ensure the KRG’s fair share of the federal budget and expressed his hope that the recent landmark agreement on resuming Kurdistan’s oil exports would pave the way for resolving other long-standing disputes.

The broader political and security landscape of the region was also a key topic of discussion in the meeting between President Barzani and the French ambassador. The two leaders exchanged views on the developments and changes in the political situation of the region in general, the complex and ongoing crisis in Syria, and the hopeful steps of the peace process that is currently underway in Türkiye. 

This wide-ranging discussion highlights the Kurdistan Region's pivotal role as a stable and knowledgeable actor in a turbulent and often volatile neighborhood, and France's recognition of its importance as a key strategic partner. The meeting in Pirmam was a powerful reaffirmation of a friendship forged in times of crisis and a shared commitment to a future of freedom, democracy, and stability.