Turkish Officials Make Historic Visit to Erbil
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New Consulate Underscores Pledges of Cooperation
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Turkey will open a diplomatic consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), as part of the increased political and economic cooperation between the longtime neighbors.
The future consulate was announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu, who visited the KRI on Friday as part of Ankara's efforts to end a conflict with Kurdish rebels based across its southern border. Davutoglu's visit to Erbil was the first by a Turkish minister to the Kurdistan region and he said he felt right at home.
"It's high time for everyone to take bold steps," Davutoglu said. "Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis, we will all together rebuild the Middle East."
Davutoglu was joined by Turkish Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan and a delegation of around 70 officials and businessmen, who were met at Erbil International Airport by the Kurdistan Regional Government's Prime Minister Barham Salih and Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
Turkish businesses already overwhelmingly account for the number of new investors in the KRI since the region was liberated in 2003. To highlight the growing ties, Turkey announced it would open two new border crossings with Iraq.
Turkish-Iraqi ties have gathered steam since the two nations formed a joint committee with the United States in November 2008 to discuss and act upon joint security issues. The committee meets every two months to exchange intelligence and to coordinate security measures against cross-border attacks and related concerns.
Masoud Barzani, the president of the KRI, hosted a dinner for the Turkish delegation and praised their visit. "The decision to open a consulate general in Erbil is an extremely positive development for the region," President Barzani said. "Turkey's role is important for the future of the region and the future growth of economic ties. The region of Kurdistan plays the role of a bridge for Iraq as this region is one with stability."
This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government. More information is available at the US Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
SOURCE The Kurdistan Region of Iraq
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