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Middle East
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (left) meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on February 14, 2023. Photo: Kurdistan Presidency
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday invited Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to his swearing-in ceremony during a phone call between both leaders, according to a statement from the Region’s presidency.
Turkey held presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14. Erdogan’s alliance gained most of the seats in the legislature but he failed to beat his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, in the first round. Erdogan won most of the votes in the runoff on Sunday, securing another five years of executive powers.
President Barzani spoke on the phone with Erdogan on Wednesday, congratulating him for his re-election, according to a statement by President Barzani’s office.
“President Erdogan thanked the Kurdistan Region President for the congratulation and phone call, reaffirming his country’s desire to further boost relations with Iraq and Kurdistan Region. He also officially invited President Nechirvan Barzani to his swearing-in ceremony in Ankara,” read the statement.
The Turkish presidency also reported the phone call without providing details.
It is not clear when the inauguration will take place, but Turkish media expects the event to be held next week.
The Kurdish president expressed the Region’s willingness to develop ties in all fields with the neighbouring country.
Turkey and the Kurdistan Region enjoy strong economic relations, with most of the Region’s crude oil being exported to the international markets through Turkey until late March when an arbitration case between Ankara and Baghdad suspended the flow of the Kurdish oil to Turkey.
When strong quakes killed tens of thousands of people in Turkey in February, President Barzani visited quake-hit provinces and met with the Turkish president in Ankara. Kurdistan Region’s rescue teams played a significant role in the response to the natural disaster. Erdogan later awarded the Kurdish teams.On behalf of the Kurdistan Region, I congratulate Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on being re-elected as President of Türkiye. I look forward to continue working together to further advance the ties between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq with Türkiye.
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) May 28, 2023
Other Kurdish officials and political leaders have also congratulated Erdogan for his victory.
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