Security body warns against Iraq tensions

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani (R) is expected to visit Turkey soon, sources say.

Turkey’s National Security Council (MGK) called for an end to ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq yesterday as the government geared up for fresh talks with the Iraqi Kurdish leadership.

Following a high-profile visit by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) leader Masoud Barzani last month, his nephew, KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, is expected to visit Turkey soon, diplomatic sources said. Depending on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s schedule the visit will take place this week or soon afterwards. High on the agenda when the MGK held its routine bi-monthly meeting yesterday under President Abdullah Gül’s chairmanship was the political crisis in Iraq and Turkey’s anti-terrorism struggle, in which Ankara is seeking northern Iraq’s support.

“Turkey, which rejects any politics made on an ethnic and sectarian basis, is continuing to follow the developments in Iraq closely,” the MGK’s statement said, calling for “a settlement to the country’s problems on the basis of Iraq’s unity and integrity, in line with the principles of pluralist democracy and the supremacy of law.” The MGK also discussed the turmoil in Syria, calling for the full implementation of the U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan and stressing “the importance of the need to protect the Syrians.” The statement underlined “opening in the shortest possible time the way to a democratic transition process in line with the legitimate demands of the people.”