Macron meets Kurdish officials, pledges to protect the Kurdistan Region
Kurdistan 11:08 AM - 2021-08-30
French President Emmanuel Macron met with Kurdish officials in Erbil on Sunday and pledged to continue to support the Peshmerga and the Kurdistan Region.
Macron arrived in Erbil on Sunday morning following his two-day visit to Iraq mainly to attend the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation & Partnership which took place on Saturday which brought together regional countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
During a joint press conference with Nechirvan Barzani, Macron stated: "French people support Kurdistan people," affirming that his country has provided aid to the displaced and will cooperate in providing medical aid to a hospital for chemical weapons victims Halabja.
During his meeting with Speaker of Kurdistan Parliament Rewaz Fayeq, the deputy PM of the Kurdistan Region Qubad Talabani, PM Masrour Barzani, and President Nechirvan Barzani, Macron renewed his pledge to protect the Kurdistan Region and provide humanitarian and logistical support to the displaced and the victims of the war against ISIS.
“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 Fayeq tweeted.
Honored to receive His Excellency President @EmmanuelMacron today. 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.
— Dr.Rewaz Faiaq (@Rewaz_faiaq) August 29, 2021
"Discussed governance & security challenges facing Iraq with President Emmanuel Macron 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," Qubad Talabani tweeted.
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
Macron thanks Peshmarga forces
In a tweet, Macron paid tribute 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.”
"In the Levant, 800 of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen support the forces of the coalition against Daesh and advise the Iraqi forces. Like all French people, I know what we owe them and their families. I told those I met today how proud we are," he added.
France played a key role in assisting Iraqi and Peshmerga forces fight the Islamic State (ISIS) as part of the global coalition against ISIS. It has trained over 10,000 soldiers and provided some 90 million euros in humanitarian and stabilization assistance.
Former French President Francois Hollande accompanied by the then Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited the Peshmerga frontlines in the war against ISIS in 2017 which was his second trip to the Kurdistan Region.
The relationship between Kurds and France goes back to the 1980s. Danielle Mitterrand, the first lady of France from 1981 to 1995, was an advocator for the Kurds when they were suffering under the fallen regime of Saddam Hussein. Her efforts contributed to creating the no-fly zone that allowed the Kurdistan Region to develop its current autonomy. She made two visits to the Kurdistan Region and was named the “Mother of Kurds”. She also inaugurated the first Kurdish parliament in 1992.
France was also one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil after the fall of the Baath regime in 2003 and played an important role in supporting Kurds both in Iraq and in Syria in the war against ISIS.
PUKmedia
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