Turkish FM says 'not too late' for KRG to 'step back'

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu regarding the illegitimate referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Sept. 25 stated that it is “still not too late for KRG President Masoud Barzani’s government to take a step back.”

The KRG referendum held last week in northern Iraq faced sharp opposition from most regional and international actors, many of whom had warned that the poll would further destabilize the Middle East.

“If they correct this mistake, we will maintain our relations and act in the same way as we did in the past,” Çavuşoğlu said.

Noting that the border gates on the Iraqi side should be under the control of the Baghdad government, Çavuşoğlu said, “Although the Ovacık gate (on the Turkey-Iraq border) can technically be opened, the Iraqi government should establish a corridor on the other side of the border and provide security there.”

Regarding the presence of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)-affiliated People’s Protection Units (YPG) terrorist organization in Syria’s Afrin, the Foreign Minister pointed out that Turkey will not allow a terror canton in Syria and that a terror corridor on the other side of its border would pose a risk for Turkey.