Turkish envoy to Iraq calls for counter-terrorism cooperation

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) – Turkey's Ambassador to Iraq, Ali Riza Guney, on Wednesday called for cooperation to expel terrorist organizations from the region.

Guney’s call came in his speech at a forum organized 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 issue in Iraq and that this will be beneficial for Iraq, Turkey, the region and the whole world.

Citing that Qandil Mountains are used by the PKK terrorist group, Guney emphasized that cooperation should be made to expel terrorist organizations 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.

The PKK terror group often hides out in northern Iraq, just across Turkey's southern border, to plot terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.