Kurdish PM and Turkish Foreign Minister discuss oil exports and security cooperation

Shafaq News/ Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan convened a joint press conference in Erbil on Thursday following their meeting.

During a press conference, Prime Minister Barzani highlighted that he engaged in discussions with the Turkish official on a range of shared interests. These discussions encompassed the relations between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Turkey.

A focal point of the talks was the reinstatement of Kurdistan's oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan. Barzani underlined the importance of achieving this issue following the Region's constitutional rights and through mutual agreements with the Iraqi government.

Prime Minister Barzani also emphasized that the security agenda was a key focus of their deliberations. He reiterated that the Kurdistan Region handles security matters in alignment with the Iraqi constitution and is dedicated to preventing its territory from being used as a source of threat to neighboring countries.

Foreign Minister Fidan's visit to the Kurdistan Region followed his earlier arrival in Erbil from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. During his stay in Baghdad, Fidan held discussions with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, and engaged with representatives from Iraq's three presidencies.

During his visit, the Turkish official also met with President Nechirvan Barzani, underscoring the ongoing diplomatic efforts to foster understanding and cooperation between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.