Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) Iraqi parliamentary group met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and submitted a proposal for the “withdrawal of PKK from Iraqi land” on May 11.

While KDP media reports claimed after the meeting that “Abadi said PKK should withdraw from Iraqi land”, the Iraqi government made no statement on the matter.

The May 11 meeting with Abadi was attended by KDP Iraqi parliamentary group deputy chair Erefat Kerem and Eşvak Caf, Viyan Daxil, Sirwan Siri, Erdelan Nuredin, Hakim Serhan and Osman Doski.

Speaking to KDP media about the meeting, Doski said; “Abadi stated that the crisis between PKK and Turkey affected Iraq as well. He pointed out that this was an internal problem of Turkey and that the problem should be resolved in Turkey land.”

According to the Southern Kurdistan based KNN television, KDP offered Abadi putting pressure for the withdrawal of PKK from Shengal, Qandil and other areas in Southern Kurdistan.

Reports say that the KDP delegation recalled the recent Turkish airstrike on Shengal and submitted Abadi a new proposal for the withdrawal of PKK from Shengal.

Referring to KDP officials' claims that “Abadi also described the PKK as an outside force that must retreat” after the meeting, the KNN television pointed out that “Abadi made no such statement”, basing the report on Iraqi Prime Ministry sources.

The report recalled that KDP President Masoud Barzani’s son and Southern Kurdistan intelligence official Masrour Barzani will be visiting the US at the same time next week, stating that this meeting will witness a discussion on the discourse that "PKK is a threat for the region".