Iraq 1984 agreement with Turkey on cross border incursions was only for a year: FM
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said according to an agreement between Iraq and Turkey that was signed in 1984 by Tariq Aziz, the former foreign minister of Iraq, Turkey is allowed to pass 5 km across the Iraqi border under the condition Ankara informs Baghdad 72 hours before entering the country’s territory.
Erdogan eyes Israeli and Iraqi gas and targets Kurds amid Ukraine war / Turkmen Terzi
The ongoing war in Ukraine poses great economic and security risks to Turkey, with Russian troops controlling large stretches of Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and Turkey’s investments with both Russia and Ukraine already at risk. Due to his close relationship with Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has had to navigate Turkey’s foreign policy during the war with extreme caution. On the other hand, the Turkish leader is pursuing a policy of radical pragmatism targeting Kurds in northern Iraq while negotiating with Israel and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to transport oil and gas to Europe via Turkey.
Infographic / Picture
Analysis
Russia says has ‘no objections’ to Kurdistan Region exporting gas to Europe
Russia’s ambassador to Iraq addressed plans to export natural gas from the Kurdistan Region to Europe in an interview yesterday, May 11.
Demirtas calls on intelligentsia to unite to help build full democracy in Turkey
Jailed Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas, a former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has called on Turkey’s writers, artists, academics and journalists to unite and help establish full democracy in the country by taking “an active stance” for it in the period towards June 2023 elections, local media reported on Thursday, May 12.
“Being a mosque” in the Middle East: Erdogan's Riyadh visit / Namik Tan
On January 6, 1955, Turkey’s late Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, flew to Baghdad at the invitation of the Iraqi and Lebanese governments respectively. The visit was organized to reciprocate the state visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Said to Turkey in the fall of 1954. Nuri Said (Pasha) who graduated from an Ottoman military academy was no stranger to Turkey and enjoyed a close personal relationship with his counterpart, Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. The Baghdad Pact signed at that time symbolized the friendship between the two leaders. In fact, in 1958, the Democratic Party government ordered Turkish security forces to save Nuri Said Pasha and King Faisal from a coup d’état and a team was sent to Jordan for this purpose. They were too late; King Faisal and Prime Minister Said were killed by the forces of putschist General Kasım.
Tough days ahead for Syrian refugees as anti-migrant sentiment grows in Turkey / Turkmen Terzi
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has been in power since 2002, has found itself losing support amid soaring inflation and high unemployment. Millions of Syrian refugees are at increased risk of xenophobic attacks from the nationalist segment of Turkish society who blame Syrians for the worsening economic situation. The AKP has opened the country’s border to millions of Syrians since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Ultranationalist figures in Turkey today are recognized as the descendants of the Ottoman Empire’s Union and Progress Party (CUP), also known as the Young Turks, a political group that embraced a Turkification policy which excluded the empire’s ethnic identities such as Arab and Kurdish citizens.
Erdogan unveils plans to send 1 million Syrians back as anti-refugee sentiment escalates / Nazlan Ertan
As anti-refugee sentiment rises higher in Turkey during the Eid, Erdogan pledges a build-and-return project enabling more than a million Syrians to return “voluntarily” to northern Syria.
Interview
Syrian Democratic Assembly envoy says they are ready to face any threat
The representative of the Syrian Democratic Assembly in the Iraqi Kurdistan region said the self-government administration had prepared itself for any confrontation with possible dangers and was taking the threats seriously, politically and diplomatically, as well as socially and militarily.
Turkey has settled 792,000 Arabs and Turkmen in Afrin, official tells Kurdpress
A member of the Central Committee of the Syrian Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK.S) said: "We are part of the Syrian opposition coalition, which is present at international meetings, but we are not part of the military actions and inhumane behavior of armed groups and we have no force within them."
Kurdistan Region gas export project would divide the region and possibly lead to war, says analyst
The director of the Sharpress Media Institute in the Kurdistan Region and a prominent political analyst said about the region's gas export project that "What can be seen now is that the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) sees this project (gas export) as its monopoly project, although it is being pursued in the name of the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) and the Prime Minister himself, but the other parties have not participated. And the Iraqi central government is not involved in this project."
US serious for a final deal between Kurdish parties in Syria
The United States seeks to conclude stalled talks between the Syrian Kurds.
Our policy is to continue Kurdish-Kurdish negotiations: ENKS member
A member of the legal office of the Kurdish Patriotic Council (ENKS) said the Democratic Union Party always obstructs the Kurdish-Kurdish talks in northern Syria and does not allow the talks to be concluded.
Reports
Nechirvan Barzani to make trip to UAE
An advisor to the Kurdistan Regional Government president announced Nechiron Barzani will make a visit the UAE to attend the funeral of the late UAE president.
PUK is determined to nominate Barham Salih for Iraq presidency
A senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) stressed that internal and external mediations are underway to reach an understanding between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and stressed that the PUK is still determined to nominate Barham Salih for the presidency of Iraq.
Sadrist bloc becomes opposition for a month
The leader of the Sadrist Movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, said on Sunday, May 15, his party has no choice but to temporarily join the opposition for at least 30 days.
Turkey increases ‘buy a house for citizenship’ threshold to $400,000
Turkey’s government increased the minimum amount foreigners must invest in a property to qualify for citizenship to $400,000.
Kurds want Damascus to recognize self-ruling administration: Salih Muslim
Saleh Muslim says the Syrian Kurds are seeking talks with Damascus with the aim of recognizing the North and Northeast Syrian Autonomous Administration.