Barzani in Ankara to discuss Mosul, Syrian Kurds and Turkey’s Kurdish question

ANKARA, Turkey – The Kurdistan Region’s President Masoud Barzani arrived in Turkey Tuesday afternoon, where he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. US Vice President Joe Biden will also cross paths with Barzani in Turkey on Wednesday.

 

Sources told Rudaw that the Mosul offensive, resolution of Turkey’s Kurdish question and the Kurds of Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) will be on the agenda of Barzani’s meetings with the Turkish leaders.

 

A statement from Barzani’s office said he would meet with Erdogan at 6 pm and with Yildirim two hours later. He is also due to visit the parliament.

 

Bilateral relations between Erbil and Ankara will also be discussed, according to the statement.

 

Biden and Iraq’s Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri are also expected to be in Ankara this week, where they will meet with the country’s top officials.

 

Barzani’s last visit to Turkey was in December 2015 where he met Erdogan and the former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu to discuss bilateral relations.