Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Thursday, 18 April 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 May 2024. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 May 2024 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Iraq: Turkey

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the government of Turkey, in relation to Turkish military attacks on Sinjar.

Answer: The UK recognises Turkey's right to self-defence, while fully supporting Iraq's territorial integrity. We encourage restraint from activity that could lead to loss of civilian life, or damage to civilian infrastructure. It is critical that Turkey and Iraq reach a way to address security concerns that does not lead to regional instability. We welcome recent high-level engagement between both countries, including President Erdoğan's visit to Iraq on 22 April. As a close NATO ally, we regularly engage Turkey on regional stability. Most recently, the UK National Security Advisor discussed this issue with his Turkish counterpart in London on 11 April.

Secondary information