Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani receiving French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu upon arriving in Erbil on July 19, 2023. Photo: Office of the President
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - France and the Kurdistan Region are linked by a “deep friendship” and Paris is thankful for Kurdish Peshmerga fighters for their resilience against terrorism, France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu said on Thursday after a meeting with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani.
Lecornu arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday where he met with his Iraqi counterpart. On Wednesday, he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and they discussed “strengthening security cooperation and collaboration,” according to Sudani’s office, before the French minister travelled to Erbil to meet President Barzani.
“France and Kurdistan are linked by a deep friendship. We do not forget the commitment of Kurdish fighters against terrorism,” Lecornu said on Twitter, extending appreciation to Barzani.
“We will continue to stand by your side for the security and unity of Kurdistan and Iraq” he added.
Iraq and France made a number of strategic agreements early this year, meant to boost cooperation. The Iraqi government and France’s TotalEnergies also signed an energy deal. In a press conference alongside Iraq’s Defence Minister Thabet Muhammad al-Abbasi on Tuesday, Lecornu announced that 80 French trainers will conduct a two-year training course of about 2,100 Iraqi soldiers, the equivalent of five “desert battalions.” As a member of the US-led global coalition against ISIS, France has trained about 10,000 Iraqi soldiers, including Kurdish Peshmerga.
Barzani called Lecornu’s visit “an important message of France’s continuous support for and friendship with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region” during a joint press conference, adding that Paris and Erbil’s fight against terrorism, with support from the global coalition, should continue.
“We support the agreement and understanding between Iraq and France and we expect Kurdistan to take its share from them, especially when it comes to the training of the Peshmerga,” said Barzani during the press conference.
Lecornu said that it is “very important” to continue the fight against terrorism, which remains a threat. “We have not fully completed our mission against the Islamic radicalization, which is the Islamic State. Therefore, we have to continue our meetings and talks in terms of information and training.”
Lecornu arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday where he met with his Iraqi counterpart. On Wednesday, he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and they discussed “strengthening security cooperation and collaboration,” according to Sudani’s office, before the French minister travelled to Erbil to meet President Barzani.
“France and Kurdistan are linked by a deep friendship. We do not forget the commitment of Kurdish fighters against terrorism,” Lecornu said on Twitter, extending appreciation to Barzani.
“We will continue to stand by your side for the security and unity of Kurdistan and Iraq” he added.
Iraq and France made a number of strategic agreements early this year, meant to boost cooperation. The Iraqi government and France’s TotalEnergies also signed an energy deal. In a press conference alongside Iraq’s Defence Minister Thabet Muhammad al-Abbasi on Tuesday, Lecornu announced that 80 French trainers will conduct a two-year training course of about 2,100 Iraqi soldiers, the equivalent of five “desert battalions.” As a member of the US-led global coalition against ISIS, France has trained about 10,000 Iraqi soldiers, including Kurdish Peshmerga.
Barzani called Lecornu’s visit “an important message of France’s continuous support for and friendship with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region” during a joint press conference, adding that Paris and Erbil’s fight against terrorism, with support from the global coalition, should continue.
“We support the agreement and understanding between Iraq and France and we expect Kurdistan to take its share from them, especially when it comes to the training of the Peshmerga,” said Barzani during the press conference.
Lecornu said that it is “very important” to continue the fight against terrorism, which remains a threat. “We have not fully completed our mission against the Islamic radicalization, which is the Islamic State. Therefore, we have to continue our meetings and talks in terms of information and training.”
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