The Turkish government told a representative of Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani that he is not wanted in Turkey after the referendum for independence, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
Turkish officials told Representative of Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party to Turkey Omer Merani not to come back to Turkey, according to Cavusoglu in a televised interview with local 24 TV.
The minister stated that Turkey will not close southern Habur border gate to Iraq, which is under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Turkey will take the necessary precautions instead of closing Habur border gate, Cavusoglu said, adding the closure of the gate would also harm his country.
But Ankara will address Baghdad as the interlocutor, not the regional government, because the crossing belongs to Iraqi administration, he noted.
Turkey will take necessary measures against the Iraqi Kurds “step by step,” Cavusoglu said.
Elaborating on the joint military exercise conducted with Iraqi soldiers in the southern border of Turkey, the minister said the move shows Turkish support to preserve Iraq’s territorial integrity.
