paris france appear backtrack tuesday efforts mediate iraq government kurdish regional authorities say visit iraqi prime minister haider abadi would center bilateral tie fight islamist militants abadi due paris wednesday two-day visit invitation make prior independence vote hold iraqi kurdistan last month president emmanuel macron office friday issue statement offer help ease tensions baghdad kurds draw response abadi office saturday iraqi officials make clear invitation relate kurdish independence referendum president macron ... recall importance preserve unity iraq territorial integrity recognize right kurdish people elysee statement say priority fight islamic state stabilization iraq iraqis must remain unite statement issue tuesday france foreign ministry make reference kurdish referendum brief macron office ahead visit senior officials repeatedly avoid answer question relate kurdish crisis say visit important boost bilateral tie assess fight islamic state discuss general reconciliation iraq time reconquest territories hold islamic state see considerable progress last months france want give relationship iraq new momentum sectors develop cooperation economic tie political dialogue foreign ministry statement say french diplomatic source say paris objective try get form dialogue go two leaders kurds isolate regional power turkey iran unite state take tough stance last month vote opportunity paris good tie baghdad erbil try act go-between priority get dialogue go within framework constitution one diplomat say ask tuesday whether france want play mediation role also invite kurdish president masoud barzani paris french presidential source say support efforts get dialogue go hear invitation sense certain amount embarrassment say second french diplomat skirt kurdish issue france say iraq 's abadi paris visit boost tie