French President Emmanuel Macron has offered to mediate between the Iraqi government and Kurds after last month's independence referendum.
Macron made the offer after meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on October 5 in Paris, where they held wide-ranging talks about French support for the fight against the extremist group Islamic State and rebuilding Iraqi's economy.
Iraq has demanded the annulment of the September 25 referendum which returned a 92.7 percent "yes" for independence.
Macron said France supports the stability and territorial integrity of Iraq, and voiced concern about the situation of the Kurds after last month's referendum.
He insisted on the importance of "national reconciliation and inclusive governance" that includes Kurds, "with whom France maintains close ties."
Macron said dialogue "is the only path" and "France is ready to contribute actively to mediation."
