Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey met with the Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Iraq, Usama al-Nujaifi and Iraqi parliamentarians on September 11, 2013.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu underlined the historical special ties between Turkey and Iraq and expressed the aspiration towards the development of bilateral relations between the two countries in all fields. Pointing out that Turkey is neither for, nor against any group in Iraq; Foreign Minister Davutoğlu stated that Turkey only looks forward to the welfare and stability of the Iraqi people and that Turkey is in contact with every group in the country for the peace and security of Iraq.

At the meeting, developments in Syria were also discussed comprehensively. In this context, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that the countries in the region should be first to adopt a clear stance regarding the ongoing violence and the humanitarian tragedy in Syria, and that the active stance of Turkey for resolution of the crisis in Syria is based on this awareness and responsibility. Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized that as Saddam Hussein who slaughtered his own people in Halabja had no place in democratic Iraq, Assad who did not hesitate to use chemical weapons on his own people will have no place in future’s new Syria.