Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is making his first official trip to Iraq in over a decade. One of the main reasons for the visit is Turkey’s concern about a Kurdish militant group in northern Iraq.
Besides the Kurdish issue, Turkey and Iraq have other important matters to discuss, such as water supply problems and the halt of oil and gas exports from northern Iraq to Turkey.
Erdogan’s last visit to Iraq was in 2011 when he was Prime Minister of Turkey. This time, the visit aims to improve relations between the two countries, with plans to sign agreements on security cooperation and water management.
Turkey is planning a major operation against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish separatist group that Turkey considers a terrorist organization. The aim is to eliminate the threat posed by the PKK, which operates in both Turkey and Iraq.
Ankara wants to create a security corridor along the border with Iraq to prevent PKK attacks. While Iraq has expressed concerns about Turkish operations violating its sovereignty, it seems to be aligning more with Turkey’s stance.
Iraq and Turkey have agreed that the PKK represents a security threat to both countries, and Iraq has taken steps to restrict the group’s activities within its borders.
The visit will also focus on energy cooperation and the potential resumption of oil flow through a pipeline to Turkey. Water rights, particularly related to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, will also be discussed, as Iraq relies heavily on these rivers for its water supply.
Overall, Erdogan’s visit is expected to address various issues of mutual interest and cooperation between Turkey and Iraq. Residents of Iraq hope that the visit will help resolve water scarcity problems affecting the country.
