Kurdish, French presidents discuss broadening ties in Erbil meeting
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish and French presidents emphasized the importance of Kurdish-French historical relations and advancing those ties when they met in Erbil on Sunday, the second day of Emmanuel Macron’s two-day visit to Iraq.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Macron discussed the political and security situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, upcoming elections, as well as “advancing our relations and broadening cooperation and collaboration, and the continuation of France’s support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the war against terror,” Barzani said in a joint press conference.
“In this sensitive situation, and while Iraq is moving closer to the fifth national elections, President Macron’s visit to Baghdad and Erbil is a clear message of France’s continuous support of the democratic process in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” he added.
Macron was in Baghdad on Saturday to attend a regional summit bringing together nine Middle Eastern countries and France to discuss improving regional cooperation.
Barzani thanked Macron for his “crucial role” in holding the summit, saying “We hope the region’s problems and conflicts will be resolved with your continuous support.”
Macron said his stop in Erbil “is a very nice way to conclude my visit to Iraq.”
He recalled key moments in Kurdish-French relations, including the 1991 United Nations no-fly zone resolution that protected Kurds from the Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein and led to the creation of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
“I can say that today out relations are much stronger” Macron said, noting French forces fought the Islamic State group (ISIS) alongside Kurds in both Iraq and Syria. The people of France “value this historic relationship,” he said, promising continued support in the war on ISIS.
Macron also said France will continue to offer support for refugees and internally displaced families being hosted in the Kurdistan Region, especially for Yazidis from Shingal in order to ensure they can return home.
The French president also met with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, the parliament speaker, ministers, and other senior officials.
Masrour Barzani said the Kurdistan Region enjoys long-standing ties with France and his government plans "to expand trade and investment."
“His visit to Erbil underscores the unbreakable bond between the people of the two nations and the indispensable role Paris plays in regional peace & stability. Our commitment to shared priorities remains ironclad,” parliament speaker Rewaz Faiaq tweeted.
Macron also met with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani and the family of a Peshmerga who was captured and beheaded by ISIS in 2015.
Macron tweeted his respects to all the fighters who fought on the frontline against ISIS: “To the Kurds and their forces, the Peshmerga, ‘those who face death.’ To the Iraqis. To members of the international coalition. To the French forces.”
He arrived in Erbil early on Sunday morning in his first visit to the Kurdistan Region capital. From Erbil, he went to Mosul to visit religious and cultural landmarks of a city that were destroyed during the ISIS reign and are still being rebuilt, before returning to the Kurdistan Region capital.
The relationship between 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, including in supplying arms and training to the Kurdish forces.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Macron discussed the political and security situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, upcoming elections, as well as “advancing our relations and broadening cooperation and collaboration, and the continuation of France’s support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the war against terror,” Barzani said in a joint press conference.
“In this sensitive situation, and while Iraq is moving closer to the fifth national elections, President Macron’s visit to Baghdad and Erbil is a clear message of France’s continuous support of the democratic process in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” he added.
Macron was in Baghdad on Saturday to attend a regional summit bringing together nine Middle Eastern countries and France to discuss improving regional cooperation.
Barzani thanked Macron for his “crucial role” in holding the summit, saying “We hope the region’s problems and conflicts will be resolved with your continuous support.”
Macron said his stop in Erbil “is a very nice way to conclude my visit to Iraq.”
He recalled key moments in Kurdish-French relations, including the 1991 United Nations no-fly zone resolution that protected Kurds from the Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein and led to the creation of the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
“I can say that today out relations are much stronger” Macron said, noting French forces fought the Islamic State group (ISIS) alongside Kurds in both Iraq and Syria. The people of France “value this historic relationship,” he said, promising continued support in the war on ISIS.
Macron also said France will continue to offer support for refugees and internally displaced families being hosted in the Kurdistan Region, especially for Yazidis from Shingal in order to ensure they can return home.
The French president also met with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, the parliament speaker, ministers, and other senior officials.
Masrour Barzani said the Kurdistan Region enjoys long-standing ties with France and his government plans "to expand trade and investment."
Discussed governance & security challenges facing Iraq with President @EmmanuelMacron at a lunch hosted by @IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani. Good governance, needed reforms and the rule of law can stabilize #Iraq and secure the #Kurdistan Region. We cannot achieve these alone. pic.twitter.com/nca34b4dmA
— Qubad Talabani (@qubadjt) August 29, 2021
“His visit to Erbil underscores the unbreakable bond between the people of the two nations and the indispensable role Paris plays in regional peace & stability. Our commitment to shared priorities remains ironclad,” parliament speaker Rewaz Faiaq tweeted.
Macron also met with Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani and the family of a Peshmerga who was captured and beheaded by ISIS in 2015.
Macron tweeted his respects to all the fighters who fought on the frontline against ISIS: “To the Kurds and their forces, the Peshmerga, ‘those who face death.’ To the Iraqis. To members of the international coalition. To the French forces.”
He arrived in Erbil early on Sunday morning in his first visit to the Kurdistan Region capital. From Erbil, he went to Mosul to visit religious and cultural landmarks of a city that were destroyed during the ISIS reign and are still being rebuilt, before returning to the Kurdistan Region capital.
The relationship between 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, including in supplying arms and training to the Kurdish forces.
Updated at 10:06 pm