PARIS, Nov 29: Leaders of Iraq’s two mail Kurd parties, the PDK and UPK, who are here for talks with French authorities, have said that they’ve come with the intention of seeking more support from France.

Until now, meetings between French leaders and Iraqi Kurds have been strictly limited to private contacts usually undertaken in third countries. The meetings come in the wake of criticism that France has done little to consider an alternative to Saddam Hussein.

Massoud Barzani, head of the PDK and Jalal Talabani of the UPK say that it is largely because of their disagreement with Washington as to what policy Iraq is to follow should President Saddam Hussein be theoretically overthrown, that brought them to Paris. They hope that a proper understanding of their cause by the French might lead to a better comprehension of their position by the European Union as a whole.