CAIRO // Iraq’s foreign minister has called on Ankara to coordinate with Baghdad in its military campaign against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in northern Iraq.
It comes amid accusations that Turkish forces crossed the border into Iraq last week.
Iraq has been mostly silent about Turkish air strikes against the Kurdish militants which began in July and have focused mainly on targets in the mountainous area of northern Iraq near the borders with Turkey and Iran.
Ibrahim Al Jaafari said on Saturday he had summoned the Turkish ambassador last week to object to what he called a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.
A spokesman for the Turkish foreign ministry was not available for comment.
Mr Jaafari said that Ankara has not coordinated with Iraq in the campaign, which Baghdad claims included an incursion into Iraq last week by Turkish special forces in pursuit of PKK militants.
“We are for the security of Turkey. Turkey has the right to defend itself,” he said ahead of an Arab League conference in Cairo. “But there must be coordination on the ground with the Iraqi government and Iraqi armed forces.”
Iraq does not control its northern border with Turkey, which is within the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
Mr Jaafari said Iraq would back operations if they were justified by conditions on the ground and if sufficient measures had been taken to avoid residential areas.
Some Gulf states have viewed Iraq as being too close to their main regional rival, Shiite power Iran.
Relations have improved since Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi took office last year. Qatar appointed an ambassador to Iraq for the first time since the embassy was closed 25 years ago, on the eve of the first Gulf war.
A rapprochement between the Sunni Muslim-ruled states of the Gulf and Iraq, which has a Shiite majority, could help strengthen a regional alliance against ISIL militants who have seized vast areas in both Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
* Reuters
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
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Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Why seagrass matters
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- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
