Iraqi MP Criticizes Ankara for Interfering in Iraq’s Affairs

A senior Iraqi lawmaker lashed out at Ankara for its meddling policy on Iraq, and said that the Turkish government is indirectly pursuing its plans and policies in Iraq.

Speaking to FNA in Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi MP and a member of the Iraqi Kurdistan’s Coalition Delir Abdel Qader said that some countries, including Turkey, are exercising plots to attain their interests in Iraq.

“And this country (Turkey) is indirectly implementing these plans (in Iraq),” the Iraqi legislator said.

Abdel Qader urged Baghdad officials to prevent other regional countries’ interference in Iraq through taking the necessary steps and adopting special programs.

In similar remarks yesterday, an Iraqi lawmaker criticized Ankara for its aggressive policy on Iraq, and cautioned that the policy will likely result in conflict.

“Ankara wishes to annex Iraq to Turkey even if the materialization of that dream results in a new war between the two neighboring countries,” Hossein al-Maraabi told FNA in Baghdad on Tuesday.

He added that Turkey has taken advantages of the political crisis in Iraq to meddle with Baghdad’s affairs in a move to obtain its interests.

Last week, a senior advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out at Ankara for its interference in the internal affairs of the regional states, and took Turkey responsible for growing unrests in the region.

“The wrong policies of the government of (Turkish Prime Minister) Erdogan and the country’s Foreign Minister (Ahmet Davutoglu) are the main cause of unrests in the region,” Ali Al-Moussavi told FNA on Sunday.

“With the green light of some powerful countries, Erdogan has started unjustified and unnecessary meddling in the affairs of the regional countries, specially Iraq and Syria since several months ago and that meddling can fuel unrests in the region,” Moussavi stated.

He added that Iraq has informed Ankara of its anger at Turkey’s policies through Ankara’s embassy in Baghdad, and noted, “Their policy is outside the diplomatic norms and is also condemned at the UN.”

The remarks by Moussavi came after Davutoglu on Friday expressed deep concerns over the ongoing internal tension in neighboring Iraq and claimed that Maliki appeared to have largely lost the confidence of his people.