President Erdoğan wows to be a part of Mosul operation and the negotiation table

Turkish President Erdoğan has woved that Turkey would be a part of Mosul operation and the negotiation table to follow. Within this scope Turkey has sent a delegation to Baghdad for talks in an effort to convince Iraq to reconsider its objection to the presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq and let know Ankara is determined no to be excluded from an operation launched to retake Mosul from the Islamic State.

In a statement delivered he delivered on October 17th Erdoğan was quoted to say “What do they say? Turkey shouldn’t enter Mosul. Why can’t we enter? We have a 350-kilometer border [with Iraq]. Others who have nothing to do with the region are entering it. We will not be responsible for the negative consequences that will emerge from any operation that doesn’t include Turkey. We will be involved both in the operation and at the [negotiating] table afterward. It is not possible for us to stay excluded”.

Regarding the presence of Turkish troops at the Bashiqa camp near Mosul the presedent commented no one was to expect Turkey to leave its cuurent position. The delegation sent to Baghdad are to discuss the mandate and duration of the stay of  the Turkish troops stay at the Bashiqa camp. A previous proposal by Ankara to make the Bashiqa camp an official part of the coalition against ISIS is reported to be on the agenda, as well.

SOURCE: MEDIA