Kalin relayed a message from the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sudani, in which he reiterates his country’s “desire to advance bilateral relations between the two countries toward greater cooperation and enhancement, serving the interests of the two friendly nations,” according to a statement from Sudani’s office.
Sudani and Kalin also touched on “shared security issues and mutual information coordination between the two countries, aimed at promoting stability in the shared border areas and the region as a whole,” added the statement.
The meeting takes place just days before a ceremony in Sulaimani province, where the first group of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters are expected to lay down their arms. The event is scheduled for Friday.
Kalin visited Erbil last week and discussed the ongoing Ankara-PKK peace process with the Kurdish officials, including President Nechirvan Barzani.
The PKK announced its dissolution and an end to its four-decade armed struggle in May, in response to a February call by its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to end the conflict - which has claimed around 40,000 lives - and pursue a political and democratic path.
While Turkey has welcomed the PKK’s move, it has emphasized the need for the decision to materialize on the ground. Meanwhile, the PKK expects democratic reforms from Ankara as part of the process.
Iraq banned the PKK in March 2024 from operating in the country, following a top security meeting with a Turkish delegation in Baghdad. The decision came ahead of a landmark visit by Erdogan to Iraq.
Founded in 1978, the PKK initially sought to establish an independent Kurdish state but later shifted its focus toward securing broader political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and several of its Western allies.
