28 February 2017, 14:34 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have been engaged in a dispute over the issue of flying a flag of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Turkish media reported Tuesday.
On Sunday, KRG leader Masoud Barzani arrived in Istanbul and held meetings with the Turkish leadership. During the visit, the flag of the KRG was up together with the flags of both Iraq and Turkey.
According to the Hurriyet Daily News, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli criticized the move, calling it "scandalous, careless and a disgrace" and added that Barzani had provided Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, with support.
16 February 2017, 07:24 GMT
Responding to the criticism of the MHP. the country's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim from the AKP said that Turkey respected Iraq's territorial integrity, but the KRG was an internationally recognized structure with its own parliament, prime minister, ministers and its own flag, the newspaper added.
The KRG is the central authority of Iraqi Kurdistan located in northern part of the country. The structure was established in 1992. The KRG leadership has repeatedly stated their desire to gain independence from Baghdad.
