Iraqi Kurdistan, France Discuss Kurdish Independence

• 09.09.2016, 15:57
•  Europe,  Near East,  World

Présidence de la République - P. Segrette

Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani was welcomed in Paris, where his meetings with French President Francois Hollande and other top officials underscored a strong relationship between the Kurds and France which has grown even closer since the start of the war with the Islamic State (IS), Kurdish News Agency Rudaw reports. 

France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdish capital Erbil after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003, and it was one of the first to come to the assistance of the Kurds when they found themselves at war with IS two years ago.

Dr. Kawa Shawali, a political analyst in France who was part of the Kurdish delegation, told Rudaw Mr. Hollande has expressed a lot of support for the Kurds of Iraq.

Shawali said that Paris understands the Kurds’ ambitions but that they have prioritized other things first.

“They (France) say that ISIS must be defeated first, and get rid of its threat,” said Shawali. “Then you (Kurds) can talk to Baghdad and see if they agree or not. Then you can take your own course, whether it’s a referendum or anything.”