French Armed Forces Minister to discuss security issues in Iraq
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, is visiting Iraq on Tuesday to discuss domestic and regional security issues, according to the French ministry.
Lecornu’s visit to Iraq follows a meeting held with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha, Euronews reported.
The French official is expected to meet with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and with the commander of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which is an international military intervention against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria.
Lecornu will meet with French soldiers participating in NATO forces and discuss internal and regional security issues.
The French minister indicated France’s commitment to Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Lecornu will head to the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Erbil, where he is expected to be received by the former president Masoud Barzani and address the historical relations between the Kurdistan region of Iraq and France.
In May, the Iraqi and French air forces conducted joint exercises in Iraq, in which Rafale aircraft participated.