MHP PARTY LEADER BAHÇELİ RECEIVED ITF TURKEY REPRESENTATIVE KAZANCI

26 March 2013

MHP Party Leader Devlet Bahçeli received Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı in his office.

The status of the Iraqi Turkmen and the developments in the region were discussed at the meeting which took place in the MHP Headquarters.

In addition the economic development and security status of the Iraqi Turkmen which have been affected by the escalating political crisis in the area were discussed at the meeting.

Nationalist leader Bahçeli: Kirkuk will remain ‘Turkish’ forever

Nationalist leader Bahçeli: Kirkuk will remain ‘Turkish’ forever

The Turkish government has abandoned the Turkmen minority in Kirkuk for the sake of energy deals with Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), but the city will remain Turkish forever, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli said today.

While noting that the Turkish government's relations with the Iraqi Kurdish administration had improved in recent years, Bahçeli accused "the Peshmarga administration” of conducting secret operations against Turkmen people and called on the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to take rapid action in order to protect Turkmens' rights.

"Kirkuk is Turkish and will remain Turkish forever,” Bahçeli said during his parliamentary group meeting. "Kirkuk is love, passion to us,” Bahçeli said, adding that he considered Kirkuk to be no different than Istanbul and Ankara.

Bahçeli also extended condolences to Turkmens following a recent coordinated attack on Kirkuk's police headquarters – a suicide car bomb followed by an assault by grenade-throwing gunmen – that killed 30 people and wounded 88 others.

Recalling messages of solidarity given to Turkmens by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu during an August 2012 visit to Kirkuk, the MHP leader said the AKP government had failed to display this solidarity in practice. Instead, the government has been "inconsistent, insincere and exploitative,” he said.

He also suggested that the energy deals signed by the Turkish government and the Iraqi Kurdish administration have turned into an issue of priority for the AKP instead of the situation of the Turkmens.

Baghdad denies visa to NHP leader Devlet Bahçeli

Iraq denies visa to Turkish nationalist leader

ISTANBUL

AA photo

The Iraqi government in Baghdad has refused to issue a visa to Nationalist Movement Party (NHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli for a planned visit to the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk to celebrate the Ramadan bayram holiday with local Turkmens, daily Hürriyet reported today.
 
The nationalist leader refused to go to Kirkuk via Arbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), because the MHP does not recognize the semi-autonomous government there. 
 
Turkey had issued a diplomatic note to Baghdad and Arbil, requesting that their administrations ensure the leader’s safety during his jaunt.

Devlet Bahçeli participated in the commemoration and recital of the Mevlid-i Şerif on behalf of the Kirkuk Martyrs

Devlet Bahçeli participated in the commemoration and recital of the Mevlid-i Şerif on behalf of the Kirkuk Martyrs which was organized by ITF Turkey Representation.

MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli attended the Mevlid recital at Ankara’s Maltepe Mosque to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the Kirkuk Massacre of 1959 to which Iraqi Turkmen were subjected.

Dr. Hicran Kazancı, Iraqi Turkmen Front Turkey Representative expressed his pleasure at the participation of Devlet Bahçeli at the ceremony which was organized to commemorate the holy memories of the martyrs who have lost their lives in many sad incidents to date for the national cause and went on to say that he hoped the Turkmen community would shoulder their tasks selflessly in order to ensure that similar persecutions and massacres do not occur in the future.
Head of the Turkmeneli Cooperation and Culture Foundation was among those welcoming Devlet Bahçeli who attended the Mevlid-I Şerif.