FM highlights 'historical importance' of talks with Iraq

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasized the "historical significance" of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent diplomatic mission to Iraq, particularly in the context of combating terrorism.

Addressing reporters during a joint press conference with his New Zealand counterpart, Winston Peters, in Türkiye, Fidan outlined Ankara's vision for Iraq, expressing a desire for the nation to embrace a future defined by development and peaceful coexistence with its neighbors.

"We no longer want Iraq to be a country associated with conflicts and instability, but to use its potential with development moves and have integrated and peaceful neighborly relations with the countries of the region," the Turkish top diplomat stated.

Erdoğan's official visit to Iraq on April 22, the first in over a decade, marked a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Describing Erdoğan's visit as "historically important," Fidan highlighted the multifaceted discussions held during the trip, which included meetings with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Baghdad. Additionally, Erdoğan convened with Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Erbil.

Security cooperation and the joint fight against terrorism emerged as focal points of the discussions.

"We will advance our cooperation in areas where there are threats such as the fight against terrorism, and we will take the relations between the two countries to a further level with concrete projects such as the Development Road," Fidan said.

Among the notable outcomes of the meetings was the signing of the Development Road deal, aimed at linking Iraq's Grand Faw Port to Türkiye's southern border.