Erbil, Kurdistan (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani met yesterday with Jean-François Girault, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the current situation in Iraq.

In the meeting, discussions centered on developments after the seizure of Mosul and other areas by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) terrorist organization, the threat of terrorism, and the consequences of such events, including the displacement of the hundreds of thousands of civilians now being sheltered in the Kurdistan Region and receiving emergency support by the KRG.

Director Girault emphasised that terror is a global issue, and it is therefore the responsibility of the international community to confront it. He added that the issue of terrorism in Iraq cannot be solved through military operations alone but requires a political solution.

Prime Minister Barzani explained that Iraq after the fall of Mosul is very different than it was before, and the current circumstances necessitate an entirely new approach. He reiterated that any solution must be based on the new reality in Iraq. The Prime Minister also pointed to the importance the KRG attaches to its relationship with France, and he thanked Director Girault and his accompanying delegation for their position against terrorism in all forms.