Iraq looking forward for Turkish prime minister's visit to Baghdad

Erdogan's visit has been very important for the two countries, Salih said, adding he believed the visit would contribute to the political and economic cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, the Anatolian Agency reported on Thursday.      Â

"Iraq aims at working with Turkey to solve problems and further improve bilateral relations to serve the interests of the two countries," Salih told the Anatolian Agency.   Â

He said a date had been set for Erdogan's visit, but refrained from announcing when the formal visit would be paid.

Salih was in Istanbul on June 12 for a two-day Turkish-Arab economic forum, and had meetings with Erdogan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

A trilateral meeting has been reported to be held next week between Erdogan, Kurdish regional administration PM Nechirvan Barzani and Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad.

Erdogan is expected to discuss several key issues with Iraqi officials, including the continuing raids by Turkey against the outlawed separatist PKK, who hides out along its mountainous border with northern Iraq, and economic agreements between the two countries.

He is also expected to meet Iraqi President Jalal Talabani during his visit.

SADR GROUP IN TURKEY

Members of the Iraqi al Sadr political group visited the Turkish parliament on Thursday.

The group had a meeting with Suat Kiniklioglu, deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Turkish parliament.

"Turkey sees all groups in Iraq as a brother, and therefore it is in contact with all these groups," Kiniklioglu said in the meeting, the Anatolian Agency reported.

Kiniklioglu welcomed establishment of political stability and security in Iraq in recent months, and underlined importance of establishing stability among political groups in that country for long-term stability and national unity, the agency added.

"Turkey attaches importance to Iraq's underground and energy resources, and wants their equal distribution among all Iraqi people," Kiniklioglu said.

He said Turkey was playing an important role in Iraq's stability, development and reconstruction.

Sheik Salah al-Obaidi, spokesman for the group, said that Turkey's impartial attitude was effective in assuring stability in Iraq, and expressed pleasure with Turkey's equal treatment of all groups in Iraq, the Anatolian Agency reported.

"We can understand Turkey's stance on the PKK," al-Obaidi said.

Al-Obaidi also said he appreciated Turkey's good neighborly relations with Iraq.

 

Turkey, provided with intelligence on PKK movements in Iraq by the U.S., has stepped up military action against the PKK since December, carrying out several air strikes and a week-long ground incursion into northern Iraq in February, where more than 2,000 PKK separatists take refuge.Â

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by much of the international community including the U.S. and the EU.