Erdoğan meets Iraqi KRG’s Barzani amid regional conflicts

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in the capital Ankara on Jan. 7 to discuss regional developments and ties between Ankara and Arbil.

Erdoğan and Barzani came together at the presidential complex in the Turkish capital, according to a statement by the Communications Directorate. Barzani also met Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan earlier in the day.

The talks came as ties between Türkiye and Iraq are developing especially in the fields of economy, transportation, energy and security.

The two neighboring countries have also recently intensified their cooperation in the fight against PKK, which uses northern Iraq as its main headquarters.

Barzani’s visit also coincides with the ongoing efforts to resolve the terror problem through talks led by the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and other political parties at the parliament.

It is believed talks also include recent developments in Syria after opposition groups entered Damascus and toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Both Türkiye and Iraq are neighboring countries to Syria and have been suffering from the instability in this country.

In the meantime, Erdoğan in his address following the regular cabinet meeting on late Jan. 6, described the collapse of the Assad regime as an epic revolution.

“The epic revolution in our neighbor Syria has ushered in a new era both for this country and our region."

“We see that the new Syrian administration has been working with determination to rebuild Syria based on the country’s territorial integrity and unity,” he said.

Türkiye’s expectation is to see a united and sovereign Syria, Erdoğan stated, “We will not tolerate the disintegration of Syria or the disruption of its unitary structure under any guise. If we see a risk in this matter, we will take the necessary steps swiftly.”

There is no place for terrorism in new Syria and Türkiye will not tolerate the ISIL terrorist organization or PKK to benefit from the transition period in Syria, Erdoğan underlined.

“The only fate awaiting those who choose terrorism and violence is to be buried in the ground with their weapons. I am saying it openly: no power can stand in the way of this reality."

“Türkiye has repeatedly shown that it has an uncompromising will to protect its perpetuity and security. If it comes to that point, we may come again suddenly one night. We have more than enough strength, capacity, and capability to do so,” he said.