Macron FURY: Outrage as France demands Iraq disbands militias
EMMANUEL Macron has been accused of carrying out “unacceptable interference” in Iraq’s domestic affairs after France’s President called on Baghdad to dismantle all militias.
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Iraq’s Vice President Nuri al-Maliki condemned the French leader’s demands, which also called for the deconstruction of the government-sanctioned, Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).
Mr Maliki said in a statement: “Mr Macron has unexpectedly meddled in Iraq’s internal affairs by calling for the dismantlement of the PMF, a perfectly legal institution.
“His interference is unacceptable. These positions from France are absolutely rejected and harm Iraq’s sovereignty and institutions.
“Iraqis expect the international community, namely France, to congratulate the soldiers who fought for their country and for the world, because without the PMF, Islamic State (ISIS) would have taken over Paris.”
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Mr Macron has unexpectedly meddled in Iraq’s internal affairs
Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities have accused the majority Arab Shi’ite PMF of carrying out wide-scale abuses against the Kurdish minority.
But while the central government in Baghdad has brushed off claims that the PMF are engaged in a systemic pattern of abuses, it has promised to punish anyone proven guilty of violations.
Mr Macron’s call followed a meeting with Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the KRG, in Paris.
Mr Macron said: “It is essential that there is a gradual demilitarisation, in particular of the Popular Mobilisation that established itself in the last few years in Iraq, and that all militias be gradually dismantled.”
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The Paris conference was the first high-profile meeting abroad for Kurdish officials since the controversial independence referendum in September.
Iraqi Kurds voted overwhelmingly for independence in the referendum, defying the government in Baghdad, which responded by seizing the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk and other territory disputed between the Kurds and the central government.
Mr Macron also reiterated his call for a “constructive dialogue” between Baghdad and Erbil “within the framework of the Iraqi constitution,” adding that he was convinced that it could lead to lifting Baghdad’s restrictions on the Kurdish region.
Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi, for his part, released a statement on Saturday confirming that he had spoken to Mr Macron by phone and that the French president remained committed to a unified Iraq, but did not mention the call to dismantle the militias.
