Barzani says he’s pleased with outcome of Ankara meeting

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani said in Ankara on Thursday that he was satisfied with the outcome of his visit to Turkey because officials positively discussed a range of issues including the fight against the Islamic State, the deployment of Turkish troops in Mosul and Erbil-Ankara economic ties.

Barzani arrived in Turkey on Wednesday for an official visit.

In response to a question by Rudaw's Sanger Abdulrehman at a press release in Ankara, Barzani said: "I am satisfied with the outcome of my visit and meetings with Turkish officials."

Barzani told journalists at the conference that he discussed with Turkish officials the fight against ISIS, the deployment of Turkish troops near Mosul, economic relations with KRG and the Turkish-PKK peace process, as well as the easing of tensions between Baghdad and Ankara .

Barzani dismissed claims that he had met Abdulla Ocalan, jailed leader of the PKK during his visit to Turkey.

Regarding the peace process between the Turkish state and PKK, Barzani said he hoped for "the resumption of the process as soon as possible,” and dismissed claims he met with Ocalan.

Baghdad-Ankara rivalries over the entering of Turkish troops into Iraq should be resolved on the table of negotiation because "there is a misunderstanding between both countries and we will work to ease the situation," Barzani said.

Regarding the fight against ISIS, Barzani stressed, "Iraq and the Kurdistan region need plenty of assistance by the US-led coalition to combat the threat of terror."

"The Kurdistan region has a friendly relation with Turkey, Iran and other countries," Barzani said. "We will not let the world turn the Kurdistan land into a battlefield for their rivalries.”

It is believed that Barzani will meet high officials of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party on Thursday, said Abdulrehman.