Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reviewed on Wednesday “political, economic and military measures” to respond to Kurdistan’s independence referendum, in an implicit disregard to the Kurdish government’s proposal to freeze the outcome of the referendum and hold a Constitution-based dialogue with Baghdad.
“We have always said that we support Iraq’s territorial integrity and will continue to do so,” Erdogan told a joint press conference following talks with Abadi.
Erdogan and Turkish Prime Minister Ben Ali Yildirim held talks with Abadi on the relations between the two countries and the developments in northern Iraq following the referendum, in addition to the steps taken in response to the Kurdish move and the situation in the city of Kirkuk in Iraq.
The Turkish premier pointed out that the meetings with Iraq and Iran “have achieved positive results.”
He stressed in this regard Turkey’s readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi government against terrorist organizations that pose a threat to the security and safety of the two countries.
Erdogan also said that the central government in Baghdad was about to put an end to ISIS in the country, expressing confidence that “the little remaining part of the Iraqi territories under ISIS control would be soon liberated.”
He also noted that he discussed with Abadi the political, military and economic steps that could be taken after the “illegal” referendum held in Kurdistan last month.
Erdogan and Abadi’s bilateral meeting was followed by an extended session attended by members of the delegations of the two countries, where talks focused on the means to enhance cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples.
“It is time to end the conflicts and wars that caused the loss of capacities, the depletion of resources and the displacement of millions. Without these conflicts, our countries would have been in a better position and our voice would have been heard in the world,” Abadi told the press conference.
He stressed that his government has thwarted plans to instigate strife by calling on the Kurdish people not to engage in bloody confrontations.
“We had confidence in the Peshmerga and called on them not to fight and they agreed. However, we regret the campaign of lies and false allegations of non-Iraqi forces in and around Kirkuk,” he said.
