On January 17, 2024, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani held a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, President of France, at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Their discussions focused primarily on the recent attack on Erbil by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which occurred on January 15. This act was labeled as a significant threat to the Kurdistan Region and a clear infringement of the sovereignty of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The leaders agreed on the critical need to maintain security and stability in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
President Macron offered his condolences to Prime Minister Barzani and reiterated France’s steadfast support for the Kurdistan Region.
In response, Prime Minister Barzani thanked France for its enduring solidarity, acknowledging the country’s historical and ongoing support for the Kurdish people.
The meeting also emphasized the urgency of resolving issues between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi government in a way that honors the principles set forth in the Iraqi constitution.
This year at #wef24, we upped our game.
We shared Kurdistan’s story of resilience,
introduced local companies to the global conversation,
deepened our partnerships,
and exposed the disinformation used to target innocent civilians.
We'll be back next year, stronger -mb. pic.twitter.com/bt6z0UsTZE
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) January 18, 2024
On January 16, 2024, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani engaged in pivotal talks with Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
In this meeting, Secretary Blinken strongly condemned the recent attack on Erbil, labeling it a blatant breach of Iraqi sovereignty. Expressing the United States’ condolences to the victims’ families, he underscored President Joe Biden’s view of these attacks on the Kurdistan Region as a grave threat, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to bolstering security and stability in the region.
Prime Minister Barzani echoed these sentiments, declaring the attacks unwarranted, and urged the international community to break its silence against such acts of aggression.
Additionally, both parties acknowledged the importance of addressing the ongoing disputes between Erbil and Baghdad and upholding the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region.
The Prime Minister also met with Lord David Cameron, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary; António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor; Katalin Novák, the President of Hungary; Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar; Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of Armenia; Bisher Khasawneh, Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Elina Valtonen, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs; Geir Pedersen, the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria, and with Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the Deputy Chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and the Chairman of the Southern Transitional Council.
original article meeting with Macron
original article meeting with Blinken