PUK Head Talabani-French FM meet: Kurdish unity key to protecting public interests

Shafaq News/ Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) head Bafel Jalal Talabani met, on Thursday, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in Erbil to discuss political developments in the Kurdistan Region and broader regional dynamics.

According to Talabani’s office, discussions focused on the need to form a unified, service-oriented regional government ahead of Iraq’s parliamentary elections. Talabani emphasized that “Kurdish political alignment” would enhance their negotiating power in Baghdad and better protect public interests.

Both sides also reviewed the situation in Syria, particularly the status of Kurds in Rojava, stressing the importance of safeguarding the rights of all communities. Talabani called for renewed dialogue among Kurdish factions, framing unity as “essential to regional stability.”

PUK’s head also praised France’s long-standing support, describing Kurdish-French ties as both strategic and enduring. “We will never forget our friends who stood by us.”

The meeting included senior PUK officials Qubad Talabani and Darbaz Kosrat Rasul.