PARIS, France—Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani met with his French counterpart Francois Hollande in Paris on Friday where according to the Kurdish foreign minister, the French have pledged their country’s support for the Kurds “in the next stage.”
“The French officials stressed that they would continue to support and assist the Kurdistan Region and also showed their willingness to support us in the next stage” said Falah Mustafa, the head of Kurdistan Region’s department of foreign relations (DFR).
Mustafa said that Barzani had told the French president and other top officials that the Kurds have other options on the table if Baghdad fails to change its policies toward the Kurds.
“It was stressed that the Kurdistan Region has done its best, but that it cannot continue this way and in the future we will have practical solutions,” said Mustafa.
Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil heightened recently after the central government froze the autonomous region’s monthly budget. Meanwhile, Kurdish leaders have threatened to go for a referendum on splitting from Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki runs for a third term as Iraq’s prime minister.
“He (Barzani) told the French president that the Kurdistan Region has done everything for the success of the democratic and political process in Iraq, but unfortunately non-compliance with the constitution and not observing national partnership have hampered the development of the process,” Foreign Relations Minister Mustafa, quoted President Barzani as saying.
Kurdistan President’s Chief of Staff, Fuad Hussein, told Rudaw that “Kurdish independence” wasn’t discussed at the meeting between the Kurdish and French presidents.
“However, President Hollande told President Barzani ‘whatever decision you may take there should be an exchange of opinion between us,” said Hussein.
Hussein confirmed that the Kurdish president had reiterated the Kurds’ readiness to seek the path that best suits the Kurdistan Region in its dealings with Baghdad.
“If Baghdad continues its previous policies, then the Kurds will have to make a decision and seek other options according to the constitution,” said Hussein.
Iraqi Kurds and France have enjoyed decades of good relations, particularly since 1991 and the presidency of Francois Mitterrand, who was instrumental in imposing the No-Fly-Zone on Iraq to protect the Kurds following their national uprising.
France was also among the first to open a Consulate General in Erbil in 2009 to further bilateral diplomatic, trade and cultural relations.
Several French companies have invested in the oil-rich Kurdistan Region, among them Total Oil Company.
“There is a number of French companies in the Kurdistan Region and President Hollande stated that France cares about its relations with the Kurdistan Region,” maintained Mustafa.
As part of his European tour President Barzani and his delegation are expected to visit Italy and the Vatican City where Barzani is to meet with Pope Francis.
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