Turkey’s main opposition party sends delegation to Kurdistan Region

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A delegation from Turkey’s main opposition party made an unprecedented visit to the Kurdistan Region to improve relations between Ankara and Erbil.

Led by Oguz Kaan Salici, Republican People’s Party (CHP) vice president for foreign affairs, the delegation met with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Region’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

The CHP representatives said the purpose of the visit was to “bolster Kurdistan Region-Turkey relations and express the position of the Republican People’s Party’s on some topics and issues that are of mutual importance,” according to a statement from PM Barzani's office.

“Turkey is a neighbor and important country in the region and the world. The Kurdistan Region is a factor of stability in the region and it always wants the best relations with Turkey where various ethnic and religious groups live - a sign of the richness of the country,” Barzani told the delegation.

Erbil enjoys good relations with Ankara.

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said in February 2020 that his party wants Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria to improve relations for the sake of peace and stability in the region. “We do not want the dominant powers in our own region to have a proxy war. We will solve our problems together. We will not be the pawns of the ruling powers. We will rebuild peace in the Middle East with rational policies," he said.

He said that if his party comes to power, it would establish Middle East Peace and Cooperation (OBIT). CHP, in a statement on Sunday, said the delegation visiting Erbil will discuss the importance of OBIT during meetings with Kurdish authorities.

“Believing in the importance of keeping our channels of dialogue with neighbors open, the Republican People's Party will continue to make all kinds of constructive contributions with great sensitivity and responsibility to deescalate the situation in the Middle East,” read the statement.

The Turkish main opposition party has criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy, especially regarding Turkey’s involvement in regional conflicts and proxy wars.

Salici, the head of the delegation, told media that he was warmly welcomed by Kurdish leaders. “This is the first visit by a delegation from the Republican People’s Party but it will definitely not be the last one. We have friendly, brotherly and social links. We want this to be a factor to develop our relations,” he said.

The CHP has good relations with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which supported the CHP in 2019 local elections in areas out of the Kurdish-majority southeast.

The CHP delegation will also meet with the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk.

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