President Barzani, Macron discuss regional issues during Paris meeting

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Friday was received by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Both leaders discussed a range of topics, including regional issues, according to a statement from the Region's Presidency.

President Barzani arrived in Paris on Thursday and was hosted by Macron at the Elysee Palace the following day. 

“During their private discussion, the two leaders focused on enhancing French relations with both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. They also emphasized the importance of fostering cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad to address their outstanding issues,” read the statement from the Office of the President. 

Both leaders “engaged in a comprehensive dialogue, covering the political, security, and economic situation in Iraq, as well as the latest developments in the region. They underscored the necessity of strengthening the ties between France and both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, in line with the strategic agreement between Iraq and France.” 

A core member of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS), France has trained about 10,000 Iraqi soldiers, including Kurdish Peshmerga forces. The country’s armed forces continue to play a key role in the anti-ISIS fight through Operation Chammal.

“Recognizing the complex situation in the region, President Barzani and President Macron agreed on the imperative of maintaining peace and stability in Iraq. They emphasized the significance of continued understanding and dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to resolve their differences,” the Kurdistan Region Presidency statement read. 

“Additionally, the leaders discussed the latest developments in the fight against terrorism, particularly the threats posed by ISIS. They also addressed the relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with neighboring countries and the broader region, as well as the situation in Syria.”
 
President Barzani said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) earlier on Friday that he was delighted to meet with the French President, adding that the two discussed further enhancing Paris-Erbil ties.

“The historic bonds between the Kurdistan Region and France run deep, a testament to our shared commitment to peace, stability and prosperity,” he noted. 

The relationship between the Kurds and France goes back to the 1980s. Danielle Mitterrand, first lady of France from 1981 to 1995, advocated for Kurds suffering under the regime of Saddam Hussein and was instrumental in campaigning for the no-fly zone that allowed the Kurdistan Region to develop its current autonomy. She was affectionately known as the “Mother of Kurds”, and inaugurated the first Kurdish parliament in 1992.

France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdish capital of Erbil after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 and played a critical role in helping Kurds both in Iraq and in Syria in the war against ISIS.

When Kurds in the Kurdistan Region held an independence referendum in 2017, Baghdad imposed a flight ban on the Region for months. A historic visit by President Barzani, then prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), to France helped reconnect the Kurdistan Region to the world.

President Barzani also met with France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu on Friday.

"Both sides had a fruitful exchange of views on the security situation in Iraq and the wider region, reaffirming their commitment to enhanced security cooperation," according to a statement from the Kurdish presidency. 
 

The French minister acknowledged the role of Peshmerga in the fight against ISIS, reiterating his country's continued support for the Iraqi and Kurdish forces, according to a separate statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.  
 
 
Updated at 9:50 pm