Read-out of Turkey-Iraq High-Level Talks: Focus on Security, Cooperation
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – After the reception of a high-ranking Turkish delegation by Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Thursday, a security meeting was held between the Turkish delegation and the Iraqi side.
According to a read-out of the meeting published by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the meeting focused on counterterrorism, trade, agriculture, energy, water, health, and transportation.
The two sides reiterated the importance of “establishing regular communication mechanisms and creating a structural framework for various aspects of relations between the two countries,” according to the read-out.
Consequently, a Memorandum of Understanding was adopted between the two sides to “create a strategic framework for their relationship in which the governments of their respective nations will cooperate, meet on a regular basis, and take a goal-oriented stance.”
Discussing the ongoing preparations for the visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq was another important aspect of Thursday’s meeting, and the two sides stressed the need to make every effort to make Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's historic visit to Iraq a success.
The Iraqi and Turkish sides hoped that Erdogan's visit would be a point of improvement in bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The meeting highlighted the significance of Iraq's political unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," according to the statement from Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, the meeting highlighted that the PKK poses a security threat to both Turkey and Iraq, with its presence on Iraqi soil deemed a breach of the Iraqi constitution.
Turkey commended Iraq's decision to designate the PKK as a banned organization within its borders. They also discussed strategies to counter the PKK and its affiliates operating from Iraqi territory, targeting Turkey.
The statement further outlined their agreement to continue discussions on these matters through established bilateral channels.
Furthermore, they addressed regional challenges, notably the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while exploring avenues to aid the Palestinian cause.
The Turkish delegation included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, the director of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey İbrahim Kalın and Deputy Interior Minister Munir Karaoğlu.
The Iraqi delegation, led by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, included Iraq’s National Security Advisor, Qasim Al-Araji, Defense Minister Thabet Muhammad Al-Abbasi, Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Region Reber Ahmed, and the chairman of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMFs) Faleh al-Fayaz.