UPDATE - NATO must address concerns of all its allies: Turkey

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, KRG PREMIER

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) - NATO should address the concerns of all the members of the alliance, as Turkey deserves what other regions get too, said Turkey's foreign minister on Thursday.

"NATO must act in a way that will meet the concerns of all allies. What is wanted for the Baltics should be wanted for us too," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference in the capital Ankara with Masrour Barzani, the visiting prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).

Turkey has recently taken the issue with NATO failing to recognize the threat it faces from the terrorist YPG/PKK along its southern border, in northern Syria.

Turkey’s top diplomat said the negotiations continue on the issue and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has some proposals.

"We would like to take some steps on these issues before the NATO leaders meeting,” Cavusoglu said.

- Barzani’s meeting has ‘symbolic meaning’

On Barzani's first visit to Turkey as the prime minister of KRG, Cavusoglu said the visit bore a symbolic meaning.

The two officials discussed the damage the PKK wreaked on Turkey, Iraq, Syria and the Kurdish regional government.

Cavusoglu said there are 350,000 Syrian Kurds in Turkey and more than 250,000 Syrian Kurds in the KRG right now.

"They have not been able to return to Syria because the YPG/PKK exiled them," he added.

The leaders' meeting also addressed bilateral economic relations and recalled that Iraqi President Barham Salih and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had set a target of $20 billion trade volume in March.

- KRG opposes PKK presence in Sinjar

Also addressing the joint news conference, Barzani said: "We do not approve the presence of the PKK terror group in Sinjar and other parts of Iraq."

"We believe that an agreement between Baghdad and the KRG will be to the benefit of the whole region," he said.

Barzani said the KRG would be a gateway to improve trade with the rest of Iraq.

Underlining that they are aware that security is an important concern for all, Barzani emphasized that the struggle against all terrorist structures continues and it is important to carry out this struggle together.

Barzani said that they have discussed the issues on Syria and added that there were mutual concerns on the issue.

"I am very happy and glad to hear that Turkey is cooperating with UNHCR on the issue that the migrants are returning home safe and sound.

"We are also pleased to hear that no one will be sent to different regions by force," Barzani said.

"In general, Pence's visit to Erbil was a reiteration of the U.S. commitment and support to Iraq and the Kurdish region," Barzani said, referring to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Erbil.

PKK terrorists often use northern Iraq as base to plan cross-border terror attacks in Turkey.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.