Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Wednesday called on Iraqi Kurds to cancel a planned independence referendum scheduled for next month.
"Our expectation from Erbil is quite plain and clear: this referendum decision should be cancelled," Çavuşoğlu told reporters at a joint news conference alongside his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim al-Jaafari in Baghdad.
He said that he arrived in Baghdad to underline the importance of Iraq's territorial integrity and political unity, adding that Iraq's "unity and solidarity" was also benefit of the Kurds.
On Sept. 25, residents of northern Iraq's Kurdish region will take part in a popular referendum on whether or not to declare formal independence from the Iraqi state.
Baghdad rejects the planned poll, saying it could adversely affect the ongoing fight against Daesh, which -- despite a string of recent defeats -- still maintains a significant presence in Iraq.
Çavuşoğlu praised Iraqi army efforts to recapture the northwestern city of Tal Afar from Daesh, saying Turkey would continue supporting Baghdad against the terror group.
Iraqi forces on Tuesday took two Tal Afar neighborhoods as part of an ongoing offensive aimed at dislodging Daesh militants from the northern district, according to an Iraqi military source.
A predominantly Turkmen city, Tal Afar was captured by Daesh in mid-2014 along with vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq.
Daesh's self-proclaimed "caliphate" collapsed last month when the Iraqi army recaptured the northern city of Mosul after a nine-month military campaign.
'COMMON ENEMIES'
Describing Daesh and the PKK as "common enemies" of both countries Çavuşoğlu said: "The PKK, just like Daesh, is a threat to Iraq's territorial integrity, its peace, unity and stability.
"We will act together [with Baghdad] to clean out the PKK from Iraq and will give every kind of support to the Iraqi forces."
Regarding economic relations between the two countries, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey would host a meeting of the Turkey-Iraq High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.
The Turkish foreign minister also stated Ankara would contribute to rebuilding all the destroyed Iraqi cities, particularly Mosul.
"We will encourage our businessmen to invest in this region," Çavuşoğlu said, thanking the Iraqi government for its support.
As part his official visit, Çavuşoğlu also held talks with Iraqi President Fuad Masum in Baghdad, which was closed to press.
Çavuşoğlu is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Selim El Cuburi and Turkmen deputies and politicians.
