FM spokesperson: "The UN report on Kirkuk is in line with Turkey's views"

A new report prepared by the UN Special Representative to Iraq Staffan de Mistura is largely compatible with Turkey's views on Kirkuk, Iraq and other controversial regions, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin yesterday. "If all goes well, we hope that the report will make a contribution to resolving the issue," he told reporters. Asked about Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr's visit to Turkey last week, Ozuergin said that he visited Turkey on the sidelines of a conference held in Istanbul. "We met with each group, as it was appropriate to hold the meeting in this context," he added. "Why do we hold such meetings? We take this stance because we believe they can contribute to peace and stability in Iraq." Touching on French President Nicholas Sarkozy's proposal for a common economic and security space between Turkey and the European Union, Ozugergin said European leaders occasionally suggest such ideas. Ozugergin reiterated Turkey's stance on the EU, stressing that EU accession is a strategic goal for Turkey.