Paris - The leaders of France and Turkey called Monday on the newly nominated Iraqi prime minister to form a government of national unity quickly in the face of the jihadist threat.
French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement that during a phone call with Turkish president-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the two leaders “expressed the wish that the prime minister-designate Haidar Al-Abadi quickly form a government of national unity.”
“They stressed the need for the political conditions to be created in Iraq that would allow an effective fight against Islamic State and that would also meet the aspirations of the country's people.”
The two leaders said they backed the efforts of Iraqi President Fuad Masum as he attempts to break the political deadlock that has hampered the fight against Islamic extremists in the north of the country.
Hollande also congratulated Erdogan for his election win on Sunday that made him the first directly elected president of Turkey.
Erdogan is set to be sworn in on August 28 and could serve two five-year terms.
Hollande said he was committed to “deepening and bolstering” relations between the two countries.
Sapa-AFP