Kurdistan Region PM, French Ambassador to Iraq discuss bilateral ties, security

The two sides “shed light on the latest developments regarding the situation in Iraq and the region in general.”
kurdistan24.net

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday received France’s Ambassador to Iraq, Bruno Aubert, to discuss bilateral relations and developments in the region.

During the meeting at the Prime Minister’s office in Erbil, the two sides “shed light on the latest developments regarding the situation in Iraq and the region in general,” a statement the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) website published read.

Indeed, France was among one of 16 foreign embassies in Iraq that condemned the use of extreme force by Iraqi security forces against protesters in the country amid ongoing anti-government demonstrations that have left over 600 people dead and tens of thousands injured.

Read More: Foreign embassy representatives in Iraq condemn use of excessive force against protesters in joint statement

For his part, Prime Minister Barzani “stressed the need to calm conditions and establish security in Iraq,” the statement continued.

On the nomination of Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as new Iraqi Prime Minister to replace outgoing PM Adil Abdul Mahdi, the Kurdish leader said the KRG supports “a government that is committed to implementing the constitution” and one that “respects the agreements” Erbil and Baghdad reached to resolve matters between the two.

Both sides also discussed ways “to strengthen relations between the Kurdistan Region and France” as Ambassador Aubert “expressed his country’s readiness to develop relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”

Among these relations is “support for the Iraqi Army and Peshmerga forces in combating terrorism, especially the threat of ISIS,” Aubert stated.

In an interview with France 24 on Tuesday, Prime Minister Barzani warned that the so-called Islamic State is regrouping and urged the international community to take action to prevent the group from making a substantial comeback.