Turkey will take all the necessary steps to ensure peace in the region, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday.
Speaking after talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar-al Abadi, Erdoğan said that Turkey has never changed its stance on Iraq and developments in the country.
"From the beginning we have always expressed that we supported territorial integrity in Iraq, and we will continue [to do so]... We did not get a positive response to warnings [regarding the KRG independence referendum], so we decided to impose sanctions," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan also praisedthe Iraqi central government for almost driving Daesh completely out of the country despite early blows dealt by the terrorist group, adding that another terrorist group – the PKK – knows this is an opportunity for them.
"We know of the PKK's presence in areas such as Sinjar and Qandil. Turkey is in for the fight against this group in solidarity with Iraq," the president said.
He expressed belief that Iraq "will rise from its ashes," ensuring Abadi that Turkey will provide the support Iraq needs.
Erdoğan added that Turkey was ready to act to ensure regional stability and prosperity.
"We, unfortunately, are a part of a troublesome geography. It is now the time to overcome these troubles. We will take the necessary steps for achieving peace in the region," Erdoğan said.
Meanwhile, Abadi said that the parties discussed a project that could possibly help stabilization in the region.
"We care about the continuity of bilateral relations [between Iraq and Turkey]. We do not want any country to intervene in our personal interests. We must be a source of hope for our young people. We have to win over our young people, who make up 60 percent of our region, by offering job opportunities to them," Abadi said.
Abadi is expected to also meet Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
Turkey had forged close ties to the KRG, but had urged them not to hold the vote, warning of consequences that would isolate the region. It closed its airspace to flights to and from the northern Iraq and said it was considering closing its border to the region as further reprisal.
Neighboring Iran is also deeply opposed to the referendum, in which more than 90 percent voted for independence.
On Sept. 25, the KRG-controlled areas – and several disputed parts of the country – voted on whether or not to declare independence from the Iraqi state.
According to poll results announced by the KRG, almost 93 percent of those who cast ballots voted in favor of independence.
The illegitimate referendum faced sharp opposition from most regional and international actors, including the U.S., Turkey and Iran, who warned the poll would distract from Iraq's fight against terrorism and further destabilize the region.
The KRG late Tuesday offered to "freeze" the referendum results, offering an "immediate ceasefire" to open dialogue with Baghdad. Abadi has not yet made clear his position.
However, EU Minister Ömer Çelik, indicated a freeze would not be enough to satisfy his government. He demanded the results be fully "withdrawn."
Iraqi forces supported by pro-government militias last week took over the oil-rich and ethnically mixed province of Kirkuk and other areas which were controlled by KRG's peshmerga forces outside the autonomous region, amid instances of heavy clashes.
