Shafaq News / Over the past ten days, The President of Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, tackled three pivotal issues: the special relations with France, the Kurdish unity, and entrenching the foundations of Baghdad-Erbil relations.

Paris

Nechirvan Barzani, the "architect of diplomacy and peace", performed an extraordinary political maneuver encompassing Paris, Erbil, and Baghdad. In each of those stops, he alluded to sensitive files. After talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on March 30th, and shortly after his disembarkation in the Region, he announced he will "discuss the issue of Iraq's stability with Kurdish and Iraqi political forces."

On the other hand, Barzani's talks with Macron were no less significant. According to Barzani's statements, the French President reiterated the importance of supporting Iraq, Kurdistan, and its sovereignty. "Macron stressed that he will spare no effort for Iraq's stability, the political and economic support continuity."

For this reason, only a few days from his France visit, he landed in Baghdad, where he convened with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, and the President of the Republic, Barham Salih. The President of the Region was evidently intent during this visit to set the terms and restructure the relations with Baghdad.

Prior to that, however, Barzani had to arrange the Kurdish house’s interior issues. Therefore, he held an expanded meeting for all the Kurdish parties and forces on April 8th to arrange the Kurdish agenda and set overall priorities.

Erbil

The expanded partisan meeting in Erbil stressed upon the Kurdish unity and discussed a proposal for running for the legislative elections in a single list that includes all the Kurdish parties.

The meeting stepped outside the internal issues outside the Region. The attendees touched upon the situation in Iraq and the Region, Kurdistan’s foreign relations, President Barzani's visit to France, the role of Kurdistan in formulating the new political relations between Erbil and Baghdad, the Iraqi-American strategic dialogue, and Kurdistan’s participation, and its role in the Iraqi elections.

Nevertheless, the meeting's message and objectives were clear; discuss the problems and concerns of various parties in a transparent and open atmosphere, stress the need and importance of unity, harmony, dialogue, and understanding between political parties to find a solution to all problems.

In a remarkable position ahead of his visit to Baghdad, and after the heated debate over the budget and the emergence of internal Iraqi differences over it before its adoption, Barzani did not seize the opportunity to deplore Baghdad's attitude, "Everyone should know that Kurdistan hopes to see construction and services being provided to all the Iraqi areas. We also hope that the budget will be passed in parliament."

In a sentence that sums up his speculations, Barzani's said during the meeting that overcoming hardships and predicaments, protecting Kurdistan’s constitutional and federal rights can only be achieved via peace, coexistence, and unity. Kurdistan's Presidium presidency remains the umbrella that brings everyone together.

Baghdad

President Barzani’s visit to Baghdad was the culmination of this extraordinary political maneuver, to announce, during his meeting with al-Kadhimi, Kurdistan’s willingness to settle all disparities and hurdles with the federal government on the basis of the constitution and within the framework of the federal system, deeming easing the tensions between the Federal and Regional governments as the "key" to security and stability of both Iraq and Kurdistan.

The two men have no time to waste. After Barzani's visit to Paris and the Kurdish house’s unification meeting, they have to tackle many common files, namely, the strategic dialogue with Washington, which was held two days ago with Kurdish representation, the suspicious return of terrorist activity exploiting security gaps in the so-called disputed areas, the fate of the Federal Court, the budget, the situation in Sinjar district, and the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barzani was poised to exhibit amity to his host when he praised al-Kadhimi's political, diplomatic, and economic efforts, saying that his diplomatic efforts, visits, and meetings in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates uncovered Iraq's deserved position and its natural role both regionally and internationally.

Similarly, al-Kadhimi lauded the momentum of Barzani's political agility during the two Presidents' meeting in Baghdad. Al-Kadhimi said that Barzani's frequent visits to Baghdad send positive signals that resonate with many Iraqis, which contributes to promoting trust, exhibits goodwill, and motivates cooperation and coordination in all areas for the interests of the country, referring to his upcoming visit to Kurdistan.

In Baghdad, Nechirvan Barzani met with President Barham Salih, Speaker of Parliament Mohammed Al-Halbousi, President of the Supreme Judicial Council, and others.

During those meetings, he discussed all political, security, and economic developments in Iraq, Kurdistan, and the region. He stressed the need for dialogue between all parties to bolster stability, ensure citizens' security, and meet their daily needs.

Kurdistan’s President also met with the Secretary-General of Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who invited Barzani to visit the Arab League headquarters.