President Barzani to visit Turkey and Europe

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, will fly to Ankara on Tuesday and meet Turkish politicians, high officials in Turkey told Kurdistan24.

President Barzani will meet with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Prime Minister Binali Yildrim.

Barzani is also expected to meet the US Vice President Joe Biden in Turkey on Wednesday and later fly to Europe.

According to a Kurdistan24 correspondent in Ankara, President Barzani and Turkish high-ranked officials will discuss the resumption of peace process between the AKP-Party-led government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

This came after statements by PKK and HDP asking the Kurdistan Region to play a role in the peace process as one of the topics on the agenda when Barzani visits Turkey, Kurdistan24 reporter said.

Two other topics that will be discussed between Barzani and the Turkish officials are Mosul liberation operation from the Islamic State (IS) and the failed coup attempt in Turkey and its aftermath.

Barzani previously announced that he is ready to be a peace negotiator between the PKK and the Turkish government if need be. "If we [Kurdistan Region] know that there is a chance [for peace] we certainly are ready to play the role [of an arbitrator]," he said in a press conference in Erbil last year.

On Monday, Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP) spokesperson announced that President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani accepted Tehran's invitation to visit Iran, with the date to be determined later.

Editing by Ava Homa