Kurdistan President, French FM Discuss Politics in Iraq, Conflicts in Syria

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday received the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Erbil to discuss a range of issues primarily pertaining to the politics in Iraq and the recent conflicts in north east Syria.

During a joint press conference after the meeting, Barzani said they exchanged views on the worrying situation in Syrian Kurdistan where a humanitarian crisis is alarming under the current circumstance.

He also pointed out that there was the possibility of an Islamic State (IS) re-birth if the conflict is not ended, for which multilateral efforts by the international community is required immediately.

The Kurdish president once again thanked the French government for standing with the people of Kurdistan Region in the fight against IS and during the political deadlock between Erbil and Baghdad after 2017.

French foreign minister said his seventh visit to Erbil was to deliver France’s message of friendship to Erbil and Baghdad.

On Syria, Le Drian said the Turkish offensive and the withdrawal of the US forces were factors to further crisis in the region that could undermine the ongoing international efforts to eradicate the Islamic State (IS), which is, according to Le Drian, yet to be defeated on the actual ground.

He said that the world should be reminded that there are 13,000 IS jihadists held in northern Syria, including 2,200 foreigners, who can pose a serious threat to the entire region and beyond.