Turkey's top diplomat in oath-taking of KRG president

By Mazin Majeed Asaad Baqal

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) - Turkey’s foreign minister attended Monday the oath-taking ceremony of Nechirvan Barzani as the new president elect of Iraq’s Kurdish region in Erbil.

On a trip to Iraq to take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Barzani, the president of Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq, Turkey’s top diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu was welcomed by the newly elected president, Turkey’s ambassador to Erbil Fatih Yildiz, and some officials at the Erbil International Airport.

The swearing-in ceremony in Erbil saw a high-profile participation of officials from Iraq, including President Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Mohammad al-Halbousi, and several foreign delegates.

Barzani, the candidate of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), was elected president by the regional parliament last month.

Ahead of the ceremony, Cavusoglu and Barzani held talks at the airport in Erbil, the administrative capital of northern Iraq's Kurdish region.

Before the ceremony, Cavusoglu said on Twitter: "Congratulations to @IKRPresident for his election as President of the KRG. In the period ahead should focus on concrete projects and carry out together our resolute fight against the terrorist organization PKK."

Turkish official also met Mansour Barzani, the KRG Security Council head, as part of his visit.

*Dilara Hamit in Ankara contributed this story