Iraq advises Turkey to focus attention on internal issues

BAGHDAD, ninanews – 22.11.2012 –  Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to focus his attention on the Turkey’s domestic situation, which worries us that it directs toward a civil war on sectarian and national backgrounds. He said in a press statement for the Information Office, in response to Erdogan’s remarks on Iraq: “Turkey faces internal concern situations and the Turkish government should be aware of that.”

Maliki added: “Our advice to Mr. Erdogan is to address its minorities affairs and stop pushing Turkey into trouble of all regional countries because it is a policy does not bring for Turkey and its people nothing but trouble.”

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Iraqi government on Wednesday of trying to drag the country into civil war, amid rising tensions between Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdish forces. The Iraqi statement noted that “We believe that the Turkish people are looking to change the political situation to protect Turkey from worsening internal and external problems, and Turkey has a good opportunity with Iraq based on mutual respect and mutual interests and non-interference in internal affairs.”

He continued: “We thank Mr. Erdogan for his commitment, but we assure him that the civil war will not happen because Iraqis are conscious and coherence and united. The oil war predicted by Mr. Erdogan, we assure that the federal government will not allow it to happen and will maintain oil as belonging of all Iraqis.”