Türkiye, Iraq sign agreement on counter-terrorism, military and security cooperation

Fidan, who was speaking alongside his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein after their talks in Ankara, said the agreement signed by the two countries’ defense ministers was of “historic importance,” and Hussein said it was the first of its kind in the history of Iraq and Turkey.

“Through the joint coordination and training centers planned under this agreement, we believe we are able to take our cooperation to a higher level,” Fidan said.

“We want to strengthen the understanding we are developing with Iraq in the fight against terrorism by taking concrete actions on the ground,” he added.

A Turkish diplomatic source said that the agreement stipulates the establishment of a joint security coordination center in Baghdad, in addition to a joint training and cooperation center in Bashiqa, in Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq.

Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters that recent measures taken by Turkey and Iraq to combat terrorism represented a turning point in relations, adding that Ankara wanted Baghdad to go a step further and designate the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) as a terrorist organisation as soon as possible.

In recent years, the two neighbours have clashed over cross-border military operations by Turkey against outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants based in a mountainous region of northern Iraq.

Iraq says the operations violate its sovereignty, but Ankara says they are necessary to protect itself.

Source: Reuters