"Regarding US presence, we signed in 2011 an agreement in accordance with which Americans have left Iraq and in the foreseeable future there is no possibility for the creation of US military bases," Haidar Hadi, the ambassador of Iraq to Russia said at a press conference on Tuesday.

According to Sputnik news agency he told the press conference "What concerns Turkey, as I already said, the given military presence in Bashik is an occupation… There was a meeting with the Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim, and also on the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs with different representatives, as well as in the framework of the Arab League. We are holding negotiations regarding this matter. We have a strong relationship with Turkey but unfortunately this issue is affecting our bilateral relationship.”

Haidar Hadi expressed his opinion on ways to resolve the standoff between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq, following the Kurdish referendum.

"The only resolution to this crisis is a dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil. The only resolution of this crisis is for Kurdistan to remain in Iraq … Kurdistan is powerful in the confines of Iraq, together with Baghdad," Hadi stated.

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