“Regarding US presence, we signed in 2011 an agreement in accordance with which Americans have left Iraq and in the foreseeable future there is no possibility for the creation of US military bases,” Haidar Hadi, the ambassador of Iraq to Russia said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Iraqi official went on by speaking about the possibility of country’s cooperation with Turkey.

© Photo: Bertramz

Turkey-Syria Understanding Essential for Settling Afrin Crisis – Iraq Kurdistan Official

“What concerns Turkey, as I already said, the given military presence in Bashik is an occupation… There was a meeting with the Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim, and also on the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs with different representatives, as well as in the framework of the Arab League. We are holding negotiations regarding this matter. We have a strong relationship with Turkey but unfortunately this issue is affecting our bilateral relationship,” he told a press conference.Haidar Hadi expressed his opinion on ways to resolve the standoff between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq, following the Kurdish referendum.

“The only resolution to this crisis is a dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil. The only resolution of this crisis is for Kurdistan to remain in Iraq … Kurdistan is powerful in the confines of Iraq, together with Baghdad,” Hadi stated.

Commenting on the situation with Daesh group in Iraq, Ambassador to Russia said that there probably have remained some sleeper cells in different areas of Iraq… adding, that “there is work with different provincial authorities on the level of clans to obtain the necessary information on this issue.”

READ MORE: Top Daesh Leader Captured in Turkey, Extradited Back to Iraq

Iraq and Russia collaboration

A Russian delegation of entrepreneurs headed by Russia’s deputy minister of industry and trade will visit Baghdad next month, Haidar Hadi, Ambassador of Iraq to Russia said.

“In mid-March, there will be an important visit of the deputy minister of trade of Russia, at the head of a delegation of entrepreneurs, that will hold official meetings in Baghdad for an introduction to investment opportunities, and possibilities of entering the market of Iraq,” he reported.

Hadi announced that the VII session of Iraqi-Russian intergovernmental commission will take place in Moscow next week. He also noticed that Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari will lead an Iraqi delegation to Moscow.

READ MORE: Tens of Russian and CIS Citizens Killed in Syria Were Not Military — Moscow