Macron stresses dialogue for Iraq's Kurdish issue

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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Thursday he did not want an armed conflict with his country's Kurds, days after the autonomous Kurdistan region voted for independence in a referendum.

"We do not want an armed confrontation, we don't want clashes, but the federal authority must prevail and nobody can infringe on the federal authority," he said after a meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The French president said territorial integrity in Iraq is essential and urged dialogue between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government in coming weeks. Macron offered to mediate the dialogue.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi speaking during a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron (not seen) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, October 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

"Separatism is unacceptable," al-Abadi said, reiterating that the non-binding September 25 vote – in which 92.7 percent of Iraqi Kurds backed independence – was "illegal."

"Iraq belongs to all Iraqis," he said, appealing to Kurdish Peshmerga forces to work with the Iraqi army "as we have worked together against Daesh (ISIL), to guarantee citizens' safety."

"I call on the Peshmerga to remain an integral part of the Iraqi forces under the authority of the federal authorities, to guarantee the security of citizens so that we can rebuild these zones," he said.

Macron voiced support for Kurds' rights while defending Iraq's territorial unity. France has "always been sensitive to the situation of Kurds" but is also committed to stability in Iraq, Macron said, calling for dialogue between Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Iraqi Kurdish men hold Kurdish flags in Erbil, Iraq, October 4, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Dialogue "is the only path," he stressed. "France is ready to contribute actively to the UN's mediation efforts, if Iraqi authorities so wish."

Macron insisted on the importance of "national reconciliation and inclusive governance" that includes Kurds, "with whom France maintains close ties."

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters