ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received French Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Durel on Monday to discuss political developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, amid efforts to complete the formation of Iraq’s new government and resolve political challenges in the Kurdistan Region.
“Their discussion focused on the relationship between France, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region, as well as the political landscape in Iraq, particularly the formation of the federal government,” read a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. “They emphasized the necessity of ongoing cooperation among political parties to ensure the country’s stability, peace, and sovereignty.”
The Iraqi legislature in mid-May gave its vote of confidence to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, approving his government program and 14 members of his cabinet lineup. Votes on nine remaining ministerial positions, including the key defense and interior portfolios, were deferred.
The statement added that the two sides also discussed the political situation in the Kurdistan Region and “the initiatives aimed at addressing and resolving internal challenges,” with both sides acknowledging “that dialogue and mutual understanding between Erbil and Baghdad are essential for addressing outstanding issues.”
French Consul General Yann Braem also attended the meeting.
France and the Kurdistan Region share longstanding ties dating back to Paris’ support for the no-fly zone in the 1990s, which helped pave the way for the Region’s autonomy.
France was also among the first countries to open a consulate in Erbil following the fall of longtime Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and has played a key role in supporting Kurdish forces in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.