Turkey calls for counter-terrorism cooperation with Iraq

Turkey’s Ambassador to Iraq, Ali Riza Guney, today called for cooperation to expel terrorist organisations from the region.

Guney’s call came in his speech at a forum organised by the Erbil-based Middle East Research Institute (MERI) under the theme “A Stable Iraq for a Stable Middle East.”

Stressing that Turkey’s foreign policy towards Iraq is based on stability, security, and prosperity, the Turkish diplomat said positive progress has been made on these issues in Iraq and that this will be beneficial for Iraq, Turkey, the region, and the whole world.

Citing that Qandil Mountains are used by terrorist groups, Guney emphasised that cooperation should be made to expel terrorist organisations from the region.

“We see the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) as an integral part of the Iraqi state,” Guney said, adding that problems between the Iraqi central government and the KRG have affected Iraq’s stability and had an impact on Turkey-Iraq relations.

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