France's Macron lands in Baghdad for meetings with top Iraq, KRG officials

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — French president Emmanuel Macron has landed in Baghdad for his one-day visit for talks with top Iraq and Kurdistan Region officials.

Upon arrival in Baghdad, Macron said in a tweet that he was "happy" to be visiting Iraq for the first time," and that he had come "to support Iraq in a time of challenges".

"There are many challenges in guaranteeing Iraq's sovereignty in all its dimensions, in security and economically, inside the country and in the region," Macron said in a follow-up tweet.

Macron first met with Iraqi president Barham Salih. After their meeting, the French and Iraqi presidents took part in a joint press conference, where the need for continued military cooperation against the Islamic State (ISIS) was emphasised.

“We talked about regional security, and I appreciate the French role in fighting terrorism in Iraq,” Salih said. "We do not want Iraq to become a battlefield for regional tensions."

The fight against ISIS is not yet over, Macron said at the press conference, and France would continue to fight against the terrorist group as part of the US-led coalition.

Macron also warned of the threat of attacks on Iraqi soil by external actors, which "weaken the Iraqi government and sovereignty."

The French president also pledged to support reform process in Iraq that would strengthen the country.

Beyond security discussions, Macron told Salih that France would assist with Iraq's reconstruction and would restart bilateral trade and investment, the Iraqi president said. 

His meeting with the Kurdistan Region president Nechirvan Barzani is set to include "security, the fight against Daesh (ISIS), and political stability across Iraq,” Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) foreign relations department head Safeen Dizayee told Rudaw Radio on Tuesday.

Macron's arrival follows visits to Iraq from French defense minister Florence Parly last month and foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in July. The two ministers visited both Baghdad and Erbil. Le Drian is accompanying Macron on Wednesday's trip.

President Barzani arrived in Baghdad late Wednesday morning, a source from the Kurdistan Region presidential office told Rudaw.

Before his meeting with Macron, Barzani will take part in a series of one-on-one discussions with premier Kadhimi, Iraqi parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, head of the al-Hikma Movement political coalition Ammar al-Hakim, and Iraqi president Barham Salih. 

This is Barzani's third visit to Baghdad since he became president in June 2019.

This is a developing story...