Turkey's top diplomat hopes peace ensured in Iraq soon
ISTANBUL-Anadolu Agency
Turkey’s foreign minister on Oct. 31 voiced hope to his Iraqi counterpart that peace and stability are ensured quickly in the country rocked by anti-government protests.
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Mohamed Ali Alhakim met on the sidelines of the 6th Istanbul Mediation Conference, which brought together policy-makers, diplomats, international organizations and NGOs in Istanbul to discuss the practice of mediation as well as the connection between emerging technologies and peace efforts.
Posting on Twitter after the meeting, Çavuşoğlu wrote, “Conveyed our wish that well-deserved peace and stability are ensured quickly in Iraq in line with the legitimate expectations of the Iraqi people.”
At least 100 people have been killed in Iraq since Oct. 25during the second wave of protests said Iraq's Independent High Commission for Human Rights on Oct. 30.
Anger has been building in Iraq in recent years due to rising unemployment and rampant corruption. Many people in the country have limited access to basic services such as electricity and clean water.
According to World Bank figures, Iraq's youth unemployment is around 25%. It is also ranked the 12th most-corrupt country in the world by several transparency organizations.
