Erdogan: Turkey attaches great importance to Iraq’s peace, stability
The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed, during a phone call with the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, that Turkey attaches great importance to Iraq’s peace, stability and territorial integrity, according to a statement issued by the Turkish presidency.
Erdogan also confirmed that ending the presence of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is in the interest of the Iraqi national security, the statement mentioned.
Al-Sudani received an invitation from Erdogan last December to visit Turkey, which was handed to him by the Turkish Ambassador to Iraq, Ali Riza Guney.
The Iraqi President, Abdul Latif Rashid, also received an official invitation from the Turkish President to visit Ankara.
The relations between Baghdad and Ankara have been tense in recent years due to the water issue and the opposing PKK, which takes refuge in northern Iraq.
Several areas in Kurdistan region in northern Iraq are witnessing repeated Turkish bombing, which Turkey justifies on the grounds that there is a need to combat the PKK.
Ankara recently launched several military operations inside the Iraqi territories against the PKK militants. The Iraqi government not only rejected the matter, but considered it a violation of the Iraqi sovereignty.
Erdogan described the military operation as successful, and did not rule out that it would be followed by a ground operation.
Baghdad confirmed that the Turkish bombing is a violation of the country’s sovereignty, and an act that contradicts international covenants and laws.