Talabani receives phone call from Erdogan

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq‘s President Jalal Talabani has received a phone call from Turkish President Abdullah Gull, the first of its kind since the crisis that occurred due to the so-called “crisis of statements” between both countries, a presidential statement reported on Tuesday. The statement, as was received by IraqiNews.com news agency, stressed that “during his phone call with Talabani, Gull wished continued health and prosperity for the Iraqi President,” reiterating the significance of continued efforts, exerted to achieve national consensus and his continuous efforts to expand relations of friendship and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey.” The statement quoted Talabani as having expressed “gratitude for the Turkish President for his nice feelings, reiterating necessity for strengthening relations of friendship, partisanship and cooperation between both countries in all fields to serve the interests of both Iraqi and Turkish peoples.” The crisis occured in the background of statements by Turkish Prime Minister, Receb Tayyib Erdogan, when during a phone call with US Vice-President Joe Biden a few days ago he expressed his anxiety towards “the political crisis between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq,” warning that such crisis might lead to the “boosting of a sectarian war (in Iraq)”. The statements were considered by the Iraqi side as “interference in Iraq‘s internal affairs,” whilst both sides exchanged criticisms and made each side summon the ambassador of the other, to relay messages of protest. SKH (TI)/SR 1079