Preparations begin for new Turkish consulate in Erbil

As part of preliminary preparations for a new Turkish consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, a Foreign Ministry delegation yesterday met with Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq. Accompanied by Turkey's Ambassador to Baghdad Murat Ozcelik and Consul in Mosul Ahmet Yildiz, the delegation surveyed the city for a suitable site to construct the new consulate. Felah Mustafa, a local official in charge of foreign relations, said that legal process had been completed to open the consulate. Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council head Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim said they have always supported Turkey pursuing an Iraq policy which is open to all Iraqi groups, welcoming Turkey's decision to open new consulates in major Iraqi cities, including Erbil.