Foreign Minister: Iraqi government supports Turkey's initiative to resolve the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issue

Iraqi News

13-04-2025

Baghdad-INA
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein confirmed on Sunday that the Iraqi government supports the Turkish government's initiative to resolve the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) issue and Abdullah Ocalan's message. He also indicated that talks between Washington and Tehran represent the only way to avoid all-out war.
The ministry said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The fifth high-level meeting of the Iraq-Turkey security mechanism was held today, Sunday, in the Turkish province of Antalya, with the participation of delegations from both countries, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the security, political, and economic fields, with a special focus on combating terrorism and military coordination."
"The Iraqi delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, while the Turkish delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The meeting's agenda included discussions on security and military cooperation, the fight against the terrorist organization ISIS, Zionist interventions in Syria, the aggression against Gaza, and the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) preparations for disarmament."
According to the statement, the Foreign Minister stressed that "the holding of this meeting reflects the shared seriousness in addressing regional challenges," pointing to "developments in Syria, the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, and the ongoing war in Gaza." He emphasized "the Iraqi government's support for peaceful solutions, while warning of the risks of regional escalation and emphasizing that talks between Washington and Tehran represent the only way to avoid a comprehensive war."
Hussein warned of "the escalation of ISIS activity in Syria, calling for confronting it through the 'five-member operations room comprising Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.'" He also stated that "the Iraqi government supports the Turkish government's initiative to resolve the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) problem and Abdullah Ocalan's message."
For his part, Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed that "the meeting aims to reach joint solutions to security challenges," emphasizing that "Turkey does not seek to destabilize the region, but rather works to strengthen bilateral cooperation and protect the common border."
"The meeting was attended on the Iraqi side by: Minister of Defense Thabet al-Abbasi, National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, Chairman of the Popular Mobilization Forces Faleh al-Fayyadh, Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan Region Reber Ahmed, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Hamid al-Shatri. On the Turkish side, the meeting was attended by: Minister of Defense Yashar Guler, Director of the National Intelligence Service Ibrahim Qalin, and Deputy Minister of Interior Munir Karaloğlu."
This meeting comes within the framework of joint efforts to strengthen Regional stability and addressing security challenges, with both sides emphasizing the importance of dialogue and coordination to achieve common strategic goals.