Ankara urges Baghdad to recognize PKK as terror group

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on Iraq to officially recognize PKK as a terrorist organization during a visit to Baghdad on Jan. 26.

“PKK targets Türkiye, Iraq, and Syria. We must wage a joint fight against terrorism for the future of our region and the well-being of our people,” Fidan said at a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein.

His call came after the two officials discussed ongoing efforts to combat terrorism.

“Our ultimate expectation from Iraq is that it recognizes PKK as a terrorist organization,” Fidan said. “PKK is also a major threat to Iraq.”

The discussions also included efforts to enhance cooperation in the fight against ISIL and potential mechanisms for intelligence and operational coordination.

Fidan also said other regional countries must be involved in addressing the threat posed by terror groups.

As Türkiye, Iraq, Syria, “we must combine all our means and destroy both Daesh [ISIL] and PKK terror groups,” Fidan said. “In this context, we want to establish close relations between Iraq and the new administration in Syria.”

Fidan’s visit was set to include meetings with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.

Turkish sources said Fidan was expected to discuss expanding Türkiye’s economic and trade relations with Iraq during his trip.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Iraq last April, his first in over a decade, was a milestone in Turkish-Iraqi relations. The trip saw the signing of a strategic framework agreement covering 26 areas of cooperation, including security and economic matters.

The president also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials in Erbil to discuss regional security and global issues.

Recent discussions among foreign and defense ministers, along with intelligence officials from both countries, led to Iraq’s classification of PKK as a banned organization. An Iraqi court has also banned three political parties linked to PKK.

Source » hurriyetdailynews.com