Shafaq News / The President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, praised, on Friday, the French support for Iraq and Kurdistan region in their battle against terrorism.

"France played an important role in restoring relations between Baghdad and Erbil after the referendum, as it supported, and still, Iraq and Kurdistan in the battle against terrorism", Barzani said in a joint press conference held with the French Minister of Foreign affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian in Erbil.
Barzani called le Drian "a friend of the Kurdistan Region", and appreciated the role of the French diplomatic mission in Baghdad and the region.

For his part, Le drian said, "This is my eighth visit to Kurdistan and the first to the Middle East after Corona pandemic".

"Currently, Iraq and Kurdistan Region are going through an exceptional situation. for this reason, we came to gain first-hand knowledge about it", indicating that Paris will provide medical assistance to Kurdistan to support the efforts of the region in the battle against COVID-19.

Le Drian addressed Barzani, "We must cooperate in combating terrorism and ISIS. You have made great sacrifices on your land and you need support for hosting the displaced. In the coming days, France will be delivering aids to Halabja and currently, in cooperation with Germany, is implementing a potable water project at a cost of 15 million euros".

He added that France will continue to support the Region of Kurdistan and announced that French authorities will grant a Kurdish student, whose father was killed by SIS, a scholarship to pursue higher education in France.