EBRIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night. Both expressed support "for the protection of Kurdish rights in Syria," as the Kurdistan Region takes on a greater role in mediating between factions in northeast Syria (Rojava).
The two agreed on the "importance of protecting the rights of communities in Iraq and Syria and reiterated their support for the protection of Kurdish rights in Syria," according to a statement from Barzani's office released on Friday.
Macron "called for the implementation of a fair political transition that respects all components of Syrian society. The Kurds of Syria must be fully integrated into the national dialogue," read a statement from the Elysee Palace about their phone call.
He also said France remains committed to the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS).
"France will continue to support the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] who are leading this fight, in full respect of Syrian sovereignty," the statement added.
The statement noted that these messages will be reiterated during the Conference on Syria in Paris, scheduled for February 13 and organized by France’s foreign affairs ministry.
In early January, Macron expressed support for "freedom fighters, like the Kurds" in Syria, saying France will not abandon them. France, an active member of the United States-led coalition against ISIS, maintains a military presence in Rojava.
Earlier this month, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani held a historic meeting in Erbil with Mazloum Abdi, general commander of the Kurdish-led SDF, to discuss Kurdish unity talks against the backdrop of developments in Syria, over a month after an Islamist-led coalition toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Kurdish administration in Rojava is currently in talks with the new leadership in Damascus about the future of the country.
Also in their phone call, Barzani and Macron both “stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region, as well as the continuation of dialogue between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi Federal Government to resolve the issues in Erbil. He called Baghdad important for Iraq's stability,” the statement added.
Updated at 2:31 pm with the statement from the Elysee Palace.
