Kurd leader gives Turkey crisis sign

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government Nechirvan Barzani. DAILY NEWS photo

Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, has informed the Turkish government about an ongoing political crisis in Iraq which has caused further polarization between the country’s Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish groups, Turkish President Abdullah Gül said.

“Instability in the region is a threat to Turkey. That’s why we attach great importance to the stability of our neighbors,” Gül told reporters before flying to the United States where he will attend NATO’s summit.
Barzani held meetings with high level Turkish officials on Thursday. The same day Barzani arrived in Turkey Bahgdad summoned the Turkish ambassador to protest over the undiplomatic activities of Turkish consulates in Mosul and Basra.

“We are in contact with all different political actors in Iraq,” Gül said, hinting that Turkey’s developing relations with northern Iraq had no different meaning. Gül said they have exchanged views on the fight against terror and other bilateral issues with Barzani and advised Iraqi leaders to embrace all different segments of the society.

“It’s very important to have the North’s [Iraq] engagement in the fight against terror and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). All our security organs are in contact,” he said.