Turkish FM says Ankara could be a mediator between Erbil, Baghdad

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday that Turkey could mediate between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraq, and also be a guarantor to ensure the protection of the rights of Erbil. Located in northern Iraq, Erbil is the seat of the KRG.

“We have been asking the KRG authorities to stop this process, and if their constitutional rights are the problem, we can help them to guarantee their constitutional right. So Turkey and other countries that the KRG can name, together we can be mediators, we can even be guarantors of their rights,” said Çavuşoğlu in an interview with Al-Monitor.

The foreign minister added that the referendum was against the constitution of Iraq and emphasized the UN’s role saying, “The UN Security Council can play an important role.”

“The referendum is a serious issue. It's a big mistake, and they don't have any support from the international community. It will further destabilize Iraq and the region,” stated Çavuşoğlu.

“Such a referendum will not bring stability or more rights to the Kurds in Iraq, and it might even cause a civil war and other turbulences and instability in the country and in the region,” he added.

A non-binding independence referendum is planned to be held in northern Iraq on Sept. 25 by the KRG. KRG leader Masoud Barzani has ignored the urges of Turkey and the international community, preparing for a step which may cause a regional crisis.