Iraqi PM al-Zaydi meets Erdogan in Ankara for wide-ranging talks

ANKARA, Turkey — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaydi met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday evening for extensive discussions, covering bilateral relations and cooperation across energy, oil, water, security, trade, transport and education. According to a statement from the Iraqi Prime Minister's press office, the two sides agreed on holding regular meetings of the permanent committee handling the water file. Al-Zaydi stressed what he described as the geographic and civilizational partnership between Iraq and Turkey, and said his government wants Turkish companies to take part in investment opportunities in Iraq. Erdoğan said the shared will between the two countries had strengthened and reiterated Turkey's support for the Development Road project and in the civil aviation sector. The talks also covered the Development Road, a planned infrastructure corridor aimed at linking Iraq to Turkish and global markets via transport routes. Both sides affirmed that Turkish firms will be encouraged to operate in various development sectors in Iraq, according to the prime minister's office. No further details on specific agreements were immediately provided.