Turkish FM to visit Baghdad, Erbil

ANKARA

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to embark on a diplomatic mission this week, heading to Baghdad and Erbil, as reported by the Iraqi media.

According to Rudaw, Fidan's visit is aimed at strengthening ties with both the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan regional government. The broadcaster has reported that Fidan will engage in discussions with a number of high-ranking officials from both administrations.

Ahmed al-Sahaf, spokesperson for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, confirmed that Fidan's program in Baghdad includes meetings with Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and various other prominent political figures. The discussions are expected to cover a range of topics of mutual concern.

Following his time in Baghdad, Fidan will travel to Erbil, where he is slated to hold discussions with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. Peshawa Hawramani, spokesperson for the regional government, affirmed Fidan's planned meeting with the premier.

Reports indicate that Fidan's schedule in Erbil will also encompass meetings with President Nechirvan Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani. The exact agenda of these discussions remains undisclosed.

While the specific purpose of Fidan's visit has yet to be officially disclosed, both Sahaf and Hawramani have indicated that the talks will center on bilateral relations between Ankara and the respective governments in Baghdad and Erbil. A range of other topics of shared interest are also anticipated to be addressed during the meetings.

The Turkish top diplomat's visit comes in the wake of Masrour Barzani's visit to Ankara in late June. During his visit, Barzani congratulated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on his re-election in May. The leaders, along with Fidan, used the opportunity to discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties.

Türkiye stopped the oil flow through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline since an arbitration ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on March 25 ordered Türkiye to pay Baghdad damages of $1.5 billion for unauthorized exports by the KRG between 2014 and 2018.

Erbil and Baghdad signed an agreement to resume the region’s exports in April, but there is still no oil flowing through the pipeline to Türkiye.