BAGHDAD, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone on Friday to discuss ways to deepen bilateral ties and promote regional stability.
Al-Sudani's media office said the leaders focused on advancing the strategic Development Road project, noting its economic and investment importance. They also explored expanding trade and cooperation across multiple sectors.
On security, the statement said the two leaders stressed the importance of continued coordination and combating the remnants of terrorism, reaffirming their commitment to dialogue, peaceful solutions, and preventing conflict escalation.
Türkiye's Communications Directorate reported that Erdogan emphasized Ankara's intent to strengthen ties with Iraq, particularly in trade, and said enhanced counterterrorism cooperation would benefit both countries.
The Development Road project aims to connect Iraq's Al-Faw Grand Port in the south to Türkiye's border and onward to Europe. It was launched after Iraq, Türkiye, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates signed a quadripartite memorandum of understanding in Istanbul in 2024.
Relations have improved between the two neighbors since Erdogan's visit to Baghdad in 2024. However, tensions persist over the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq. Ankara considers the PKK a terrorist group and has conducted military operations there, which Baghdad has occasionally condemned as violations of sovereignty. Iraq officially designated the PKK as a "banned organization" in 2024.
On Wednesday, Iraq criticized comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggesting possible military action against the PKK in northern Iraq, calling them a serious affront to bilateral relations. Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said Fidan's remarks were misrepresented by some Iraqi media and taken out of context, with ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli reaffirming Ankara's commitment to security and counterterrorism cooperation with Baghdad. Enditem
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