Iraq’s MOFA: Baghdad awaits an important UN decision regarding the Turkish attack

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said that Baghdad is waiting for an "important decision" from the United Nations regarding the Turkish attack on Duhok.

On Wednesday, four Turkish shells fell on the Barakh resort in Zakho, Kurdistan killing nine tourists and wounding 29 others.

The UN Security Council has set Tuesday for an emergency session on "Turkish aggression."

In a statement to Al-Iraqiya News, Hussein said, "We are working to persuade the Security Council members to issue a resolution to oust Turkish forces from Iraqi territory… the council is expected to issue an important decision in this regard."

He pointed out that "Iraq has two problems, represented by the presence of Turkish forces in its territory, as well as elements of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, and it is not acceptable to export Turkish problems to solve them in Iraqi territory."

Speaking to the Al-Hurra TV channel, Minister Hussein added, "We want the Security Council to decide to remove the Turkish forces and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from Iraqi lands."

"Turkey (in its attacks) refers to the official report signed by the former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz and his Turkish counterpart in 1984 regarding allowing the Turkish Forces to enter five km inside the Iraqi territory for one year…this was a report, not an agreement" Hussein stressed.

He pointed out that the report indicates that Turkish forces are allowed to enter Iraqi territory for 72 hours only in coordination with the Iraqi government."

Asked for a comment on the statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that PKK committed Barakh's attack, the Iraqi Minister pointed out, "the investigations proved that the used weapon belonged to a Turkish military unit."

Hussein stressed that Iraq is still keen on diplomatic solutions.

"We have problems with our neighbor, Turkey, and we want to solve them through dialogue and negotiations."