President Barzani’s visit to Paris ‘very important’: KRG representative

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) office in France on Thursday said Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani’s visit to Paris is “very important.”

President Barzani arrived in Paris on Thursday and is set to meet with the French President Emmanuel Macron the following day at the Elysee Palace. 

“This visit is very important,” Ali Dolamari, representative of the KRG in Paris, told Rudaw’s Alla Shally, adding that Macron has officially invited Barzani to France. 

“Both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are uniquely important for France. The security and stability of the Middle East cannot be achieved without Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Therefore, President Macron is aware of the position and role of Mr. Nechirvan who wants to achieve stability and peace with Iraq and the region. He has good relations with Iraq, Turkey, neighbouring countries and other countries,” noted the Kurdish official. 

“The invitation of the Kurdistan Region President by the president of a great power like France will definitely have an impact on Baghdad-Erbil ties because Erbil has a strong supporter,” stated the KRG representative.

The Elysee Palace said the meeting will take place at 11 am Paris time. 

“The primary focus of their discussions will revolve around the bilateral relations between France and both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Additionally, the two leaders will explore avenues for enhancing mutual cooperation and delve into the prevailing situation in Iraq and the wider region,” read a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Presidency.

The relationship between the 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 the Islamic State (ISIS).