Turkey foreign minister hails new border gate with Iraq

By Gozde Bayar</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Turkey’s foreign minister on Monday hailed the opening of a new border gate in Tunceli, eastern Turkey connecting it with the northern Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) region.</p> <p>“Opening a second border gate in Fishabour will be beneficial both for Iraq &amp; KRG. Support activities of our businessmen,” said Mevlut Cavusoglu on Twitter, on the same day he arrived for a visit to Erbil in the KRG.</p> <p>He added that Turkey and the KRG will act together in countering terror groups the PKK, Daesh, and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).</p> <p> “Turkey develops relations w/all areas &amp; groups in Iraq. Will also be more present in Sulaymaniyah with our private sector &amp; businessmen,” Cavusoglu said on Twitter amid his meeting with KRG Deputy Prime Minister Kubat Talabani.</p> <p>Cavusoglu also held meetings with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, KRG Security Agency Undersecretary Mesrur Barzani, and Turkmen politicians in Erbil.</p> <p>Earlier, Cavusoglu met with his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed Ali al-Hakim and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad as part of his official two-day visit to the country.</p> <p>FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.</p> <p>Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.</p> <p>In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including many women and children.</p> <p>At least 319 people have lost their lives in Daesh terror attacks in Turkey, where the terror organization has targeted civilians in suicide bomb, rocket, and gun attacks.</p> <p> </p> <p>