Turkey to reopen consulate in Mosul, Basra

Sevil Erkuş – ANKARA

Turkey will reopen its consulate generals in Iraq’s Basra and Mosul provinces, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Nov. 18.

“We are re-operating the consulates general in Mosul and Basra in line with our aim to reach all parts of Iraq. We are also working on the opening of the consulate generals in Najaf and Kirkuk for the first time,” the minister said speaking at budget discussions at the parliament.

Turkey had closed its Mosul and Basra consulates due to threats posed by the ISIL terror group. The Turkish Consulate in Mosul was taken over by ISIL on June 11, 2014, and the terrorists held captive 49 consulate personnel and their families.

The hostages were safely returned to Turkey after 101 days of captivity. Turkey also has been making attempts for consulate general offices to be opened in Najaf and Kirkuk.

Turkey asks Germany to extradite YPG leader

Turkey has asked Germany to arrest and extradite YPG leader Ferhat Abdi Shahin, code-named Mazloum Kobani, Çavuşoğlu also said.

“We quickly asked for the arrest and extradition of the so-called commander of the YPG, a PKK member terrorist, Ferhat Abdi Shahin, from relevant states to our country after media reports that he will travel to the United States and Germany,” Çavuşoğlu said.

In October, Turkey said it sent an extradition request to the U.S. for the arrest of Shahin after a red notice was issued.

More than 110 members of FETÖ have been extradited to Turkey, the minister said, noting that education in FETÖ affiliated schools in 38 countries was fully or partially finalized, with schools in 19 countries handed over to Maarif Association of the country.

Elaborating on recent U.S. congressional bills on the issues of the events in 1915 and sanctions against Turkey for its military operation, the minister said: “In order to keep us under pressure due to our operation [Peace Spring], attempts were initiated against our country at the U.S. Congress. On the day we celebrated the 96th anniversary of our republic’s foundation, two bills filled with unfounded claims were accepted in the U.S. House of Representatives,” the minister said.

Çavuşoğlu emphasized that it is important that the U.S administration stands at the same point as Turkey on these issues. Ankara plans to step up to better inform Congress and to reinforce awareness of the importance of Turkey-U.S. relations, he noted.

“We intensify our public diplomacy efforts, including our parliamentary delegation to visit Washington in the coming period,” he stated.

Çavuşoğlu also stated that “on Cyprus, which is a national cause to us, we will not have negotiations just for the sake of it.”