The Foreign Ministry Summons the Turkish Ambassador in Iraq Again Today and Delivers a Strongly Worded Letter of Protest Calling for the Stop of Such Provocative Acts

Iraq condemns in the strongest terms and denounces the return of Turkish forces on June 17 to violating the sanctity of the country and its sovereignty by bombing and attacking targets within our international borders.

While we affirm our absolute rejection of these violations that breach the charters and international laws, we stress the necessity of the Turkish side’s commitment to stop the bombing, and the withdrawal of its aggressive forces from the Iraqi territories that it penetrated yesterday from its locations in Bashiqa camp and others.

The Iraqi government also affirms that Turkey was the cause of increased insecurity in the border area shared with Iraq. As the “peace initiative” that it adopted with the PKK in 2013 caused the settlement of many elements of this Turkish party inside Iraqi territory without approval or consultation with Iraq; which prompted Iraq to protest at the Security Council at that time.

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Turkish Ambassador in Iraq again today, and delivered a strongly worded letter of protest calling for it to refrain from such provocative acts and rejected violations.

Iraq also maintains its legitimate rights to take all measures that will protect its sovereignty and the safety of its people, including the request to the Security Council and regional and international organizations to fulfill their responsibility.

The Ministry had summoned the Turkish Ambassador two days ago, and delivered to him a letter of protest on the previous violations committed by Turkish aviation, and according to the professional diplomatic contexts, the ambassador is supposed to have transferred the letter to his government, and informed it of the content of the meeting. The mission of the Ambassador is to develop relations of his country, not vice versa, and we have made clear to him the limits of his role previously and today.

The Iraqi government affirms that “the lands of Iraq are not used as a passage or corridor to cause harm to neighboring countries,” as stated in the Iraqi Constitution.

Foreign Ministry
Baghdad
18/6/2020