President Barzani receives French ambassador to discuss latest developments in Kurdistan

 

Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani received the French Ambassador to Iraq, Francois Bartley, in a meeting to discuss the political process in the region and bilateral relations between the two sides.

Ambassador Bartley expressed his delight meeting President Barzani at the earliest opportunity in order to consolidate relations between Erbil and Paris and invited Mr Barzani to submit his observations on the current situation in the wider region and Iraq.

Mr Barzani welcomed Mr Bartley, congratulating him and wishing him success in his new role while expressing his appreciation toward the French government for their support in the onslaught against ‘Islamic State’ militants, at the same time praising France for urging other European countries to support the Kurds.

Mr Barzani said, "In spite of the embargo imposed on the armed forces, we have encountered against a well-armed terrorist State, that captured Iraq and Syria's weaponry, however Peshmerga forces were able to detect immediately and suspended their [IS] terrorist tactics, and forced them to withdraw from more areas, resulting in Peshmerga forces regaining a lot of ground.”

At the end of the meeting, which was attended by Masrour Barzani, head of Kurdistan’s intelligence and security, the two sides discussed the political process in Iraq and the formation process of the newly formed government, and relations between Kurdistan and Iraq.