Türkiye’s ultimate expectation from Iraq is recognition of PKK as terror group: FM Fidan

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the importance of joint efforts in the fight against terrorism during his official visit to Baghdad on Sunday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Fidan stated Türkiye’s “ultimate expectation” from Iraq is to recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization.

“Iraq has already declared the PKK a ‘banned organization,’ but our ultimate expectation is for it to also officially recognize it as a terrorist organization,” Fidan said.

“The PKK terrorist organization violates Iraq’s sovereignty and poses a serious threat to its national security. Most recently, two Iraqi soldiers were martyred in a PKK attack … PKK targets Türkiye, Iraq and Syria. For the future of our region, for comfort and prosperity, we have to wage a common struggle against terrorism. We must combine all our means and destroy both Daesh and PKK. Our ultimate expectation from Iraq is to recognize the PKK, which it has declared a banned organization, as a terrorist organization,” Fidan said.

PKK, regional stability

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has waged a decades-long campaign that has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women and children.

Fidan underscored the PKK’s threat to the security and sovereignty of Iraq, Türkiye, and Syria, urging collaborative efforts to eliminate the group.

“As Türkiye, Iraq, and Syria, we must combine all our means and destroy both Daesh and the PKK,” Fidan remarked, stressing the need for regional unity in addressing terrorism.

“The more powerful and wealthy Iraq becomes, the more Türkiye’s prosperity will increase at the same rate. When Iraq is safer and more stable, peace and tranquility will increase in our region. In this framework, we support the steps taken to make Iraq a more prosperous and secure country. We contribute to Iraq’s initiatives that aim to contribute to our region,” he said.

Economic and strategic cooperation between Türkiye, Iraq

Fidan also highlighted the growing economic ties between Türkiye and Iraq, with bilateral trade reaching $20 billion.

He pointed to the strategic importance of development projects initiated during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Iraq in 2024, including two agreements aimed at fostering regional prosperity.

“The development project, based on a ‘win-win’ strategy, holds great significance for our region. We aim to see tangible results in the near future,” he added.

“This project offers a very valuable and viable cooperation opportunity for our region on the basis of regional ownership and win-win understanding. Today, we discussed the steps that need to be taken in order to realize the project rapidly. God willing, we aim to see concrete results as soon as possible,” Fidan said.