Iraq and Turkey turn the page

29-10-2013 06:11PM ET

Iraq and Turkey have decided to open a new chapter in their bilateral relations, writesNermeen Al-Mufti in Baghdad

Iraq and Turkey decided to improve relations between the two countries after a meeting between their foreign ministers in the Turkish capital Ankara last Friday, these relations having gone through a series of disputes in recent years.

The relations between the two countries have been described as historically based and founded on bilateral interests by high-ranking officials from both countries. However, they have worsened as a result of the crisis in Syria and the two countries’ contrasting ways of reacting to it.

Turkey has supported the armed opposition that is bent on toppling the regime led by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, while Iraq has been insisting on the need to find a political solution.

However, despite these differences the two countries have been trying to protect their borders and themselves from any spill-over from the conflict in Syria.

The contrasting relationship with Syria has also not been the only cause of disputes between the two countries, since there has also been the issue of cooperation on oil between Turkey and the Kurdish region in northern Iraq.

The two countries have exchanged accusations of each intervening in the internal policies of the other, yet trade relations between them have not been affected by the disputes, and Turkey has remained an important economic partner of Iraq.

In a press conference during his visit to Ankara, the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that “we agreed to take new steps in order to improve bilateral relations and to open new horizons,” adding that “a new page has begun, opening on new relations.”

A press release issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry described Zebari’s visit as momentous, saying that “we consider the Iraqi foreign minister’s visit to Turkey to be a contribution to adding momentum to the relations between Turkey and Iraq and further strengthening the cooperation between the two countries.”

Yet, high-ranking officials in both countries were cautious about referring to Zebari’s visit to Ankara, which followed the visit of Volkan Bozkir, the head of the foreign relations committee in the Turkish parliament, to Baghdad and the expected visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to Baghdad.

“Both sides agreed to restore normal relations, but to leave the details to the joint committees that are to meet soon,” Ersat Hurmuzlu, an adviser to the Turkish president, told Al-Ahram Weekly.

While the two countries are trying to build good will, some political analysts have been sceptical. The Turkish daily Aydinlik commented in its coverage that “Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki has forced [Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan to take a step back,” adding that “the Iraqi central government has requested a guarantee of non-interference as a condition of better relations between the two countries, a request that the Turkish side has accepted.”

Abdel-Amir Al-Majar, an Iraqi political analyst, said that “Iraq and Turkey need each other, and there is no way before both states but to cooperate. Turkey is Iraq’s gateway towards Europe, while Iraq is Turkey’s gateway towards the Gulf States. This was and still is the basis of the relations between them.”

“The Syrian crisis has had an impact on the relations between Iraq and Turkey, and there has recently been an international consensus on the need to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, as Iraq has long insisted. As a result, it is necessary to restore good relations between the two countries in order that they can discuss a Syrian solution. Though neither country has the ability to solve the crisis, there are many important issues that need to be discussed.”

Good relations between Iraq and Turkey will affect the region as a whole, and after meeting with the Iraqi delegation Turkish President Abdallah Gul expressed his satisfaction with the increasing level of cooperation between the two countries.

He was quoted as saying that “not only will our two countries benefit from strong cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, but so will the region as a whole.”

Gul described the recent upsurge in terrorist activities across Iraq as a “source of distress not just for Iraqis but for all Turkish people as well”. He added that Ankara would continue to support “the efforts of Iraqi politicians to bring stability to the country”.

A statement issued by the Iraqi prime minister’s office after the meeting said Al-Maliki had accepted an invitation from his Turkish counterpart to visit Ankara in the near future, adding that “Al-Maliki stressed that Iraq was keen to develop bilateral relations.”

Al-Maliki has also formally invited Erdogan to visit Iraq.

While Iraq and Turkey have decided to open a new page in relations between the two countries, the joint committees tasked with sorting out the details still have much work to do in making this into reality.

Iraq invites Turkish opposition leader to Baghdad

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to visit Baghdad upon the invitation of the Iraqi central government, whose relations with Turkey have recently become strained over various issues.


CHP Deputy Chairman Faruk Loğoğlu confirmed that the invitation to Kılıçdaroğlu was made by Hummam Hammudi, chairman of the Iraqi parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, during Hammudi's meeting with the opposition leader on Nov. 25 in İstanbul, adding that the CHP leader plans to honor the invitation. “But the dates of the visit are not clear yet,” Loğoğlu told Today's Zaman.

Loğoğlu also underlined that the invitation did not come in an official letter but was made verbally by Hammudi, whom Loğoğlu identifies as an influential figure in Iraqi politics.

According to Loğoğlu, the CHP leader is expected to visit Sulaimaniya, Kirkuk, Najaf and Arbil in addition to Baghdad. "Iraqi authorities have told us that it would be beneficial for the CHP to visit those cities. We will try to visit as long as the schedule permits," said Loğoğlu.

Meanwhile, Loğoğlu also confirmed that a delegation headed by him will visit Baghdad on Dec. 25 to attend a conference on the Middle East organized by the Iraqi government.

Touching upon the recent tension between Turkey and the Iraqi central government, Loğoğlu stated that Turkey should pursue a more inclusive and comprehensive Iraq policy to avoid a further rift in bilateral relations.

Loğoğlu, who criticized Ankara's Iraq policy, said the CHP follows the negative state of affairs between Turkey and Iraq with anxiety and sadness.

“We want both sides, Ankara and Baghdad, to be determined to improve the relations. But here the responsibility falls on Ankara mostly,” said Loğoğlu.

According to Loğoğlu, Ankara has created the impression that Arbil is Turkey's only addressee on the Iraqi side by excluding Baghdad from various talks. “It is wrong to give such an impression. Iraq is a very important country. There are sensitive balances in Iraq, which is currently facing a critical situation. Turkey should follow a policy of embracing the whole of Iraq,” said Loğoğlu.

The Iraqi government has urged Turkey to deal with the country through Baghdad if it wants to maintain good regional relations, and has criticized Ankara's direct outreach to Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, adding that Iraq takes issue with efforts by Turkey to treat the Kurds' northern territory “as if it is an independent state.”
Kılıçdaroğlu to visit Egypt upon Morsi's invitation

Loğoğlu further told Today's Zaman that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi invited Kılıçdaroğlu to Egypt during Morsi's meeting with the opposition leader in Ankara in late September, adding that Kılıçdaroğlu accepted the invitation and that the visit will take place in early 2013.

“The details and the dates of the visit are not clear yet. But we will try to meet with as many political leaders, media representatives and academics as possible in Egypt during the visit,” said Loğoğlu.

Touching upon the recent developments in Egypt, Loğoğlu stated that the CHP would support steps taken in accordance with democratic values, including freedom and equality. “Egypt is going through a critical situation. Our hope is that Egypt will [soon] possess a balanced and democratic constitution,” said Loğoğlu.



http://www.niqash.org/articles/?id=3165

Sadr warns Maliki over ties to Turkey

Baghdad

Iraqi Parliament Speaker al-Nujaifi (C) speaks as Iraqi radical Shiite Muslim cleric al-Sadr (R) listens during a press conference in the southern holy city of Najaf. AFP Photo

The relations between Turkey and Iraq are experiencing difficulties and the most difficult part of this period is when “sectarian games are played,” Shiite Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr said. Al-Sadr hosted Selahattin Özgündüz, Turkish Caferi leader, and a delegate accompanying him in Najaf.

“The most difficult phase of Turkey-Iraqi ties is when sectarian games are played. The wrong perspective is to see Iraq as only a Shiite country and Turkey as a Sunni country,” al-Sadr said, adding that Iraq should be a country of all sects, religions and races. “Like in Turkey, Turkey belongs to all religions, sects, and races.” Sadr also thanked Özgündüz for his efforts on the Day of Aşura.

Upon Özgündüz’s remarks that they didn’t want to see Kirkuk tied to a Kurdish administration and they believed they had enough power to prevent it from happening, al-Sadr said: “Kirkuk is neither Shiite, Sunni nor Kurdish. It belongs to Iraq.”

The Shiite leader also said it was not acceptable to burn the flag of a Muslim nation after around 200 protesters demanding that Ankara extradite Iraq’s fugitive vice president burned the Turkish flag May 19 at a demonstration near the Turkish Consulate General in Basra. Al-Sadr called on neighboring and Muslim countries to keep ties at a good level.

On the crisis with Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, al-Sadr said the tension was a result of political disputes and advised Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government not to raise the tension. “We advise al-Maliki not to strain ties with Turkey any more,” al-Sadr said, adding that all situations concerning al-Maliki raised the sectarian crisis in the country.

The al-Hashemi crisis engulfed Iraq after al-Maliki’s government issued an arrest warrant for the country’s Sunni vice president in December. Al-Sadr also said they were mediating between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the central government to ease the ongoing crisis and added that the Kurdish administration did not want to split from Iraq.

June/02/2012

Published in Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey Summons Iraqi Charge d'Affaires as Rift Deepens

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Turkey summoned Iraq's charge d'affaires on Tuesday, a tit-for-tat move a day after Baghdad summoned Turkey's ambassador in a top-level diplomatic row that has heightened regional tensions, Today's Zaman reported.



Iraq, locked in a public row with neighboring Turkey, summoned Ankara's ambassador in Baghdad on Sunday to protest at critical remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



The envoy, Yunus Demirer, heard the Iraqi complaint on Sunday after several days of charge and counter-charge.



Turkey, in turn, summoned the Iraqi charge d'affaires Sudat Khidir on Tuesday and told him that the latest statements by Iraqi officials condemning Turkey is unacceptable.



Foreign Ministry officials told the Iraqi envoy that Iraq's peace and stability is a priority matter for Turkey as the situation in Iraq would have direct repercussions on Turkey.



Erdogan accused his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday of stoking conflict between Shi'ite Muslims, Sunni Muslims and Kurds through "self-centred" behavior.



Maliki fired back that Turkey was becoming a "hostile state" with a sectarian agenda, saying it was meddling in Iraqi affairs and trying to establish regional "hegemony".



Erdogan returned to the fray on Saturday, saying: "If we respond to Mr. Maliki, we give him the opportunity to show off."



Analysts say mainly Sunni Turkey is worried that growing tensions in Iraq and violence in their mutual neighbor Syria may lead to a wider Sunni-Shi'ite conflict in the region.



Turkish officials also conveyed a message to Iraq during the meeting, saying that Iraqis are brothers of Turks and that Turkey is rejecting sectarian- and ethnic-based policies in the war-torn country.



Turkish diplomats also told the Iraqi envoy that Turkey strongly rejects summoning of Turkish ambassador to Baghdad on Sunday.



Erdogan's government has also recently forged close ties with Masoud Barzani, president of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, which is embroiled in a row with the Baghdad government over claims to the city of Kirkuk and the region's oil.



Erdogan has criticised Maliki several times since sectarian tensions flared in Iraq in December when the Shi'ite-led government tried to remove Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq and sought an arrest warrant for Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on charges he ran death squads.



Hashemi fled Baghdad and has since met Erdoğan in İstanbul.



The rift between Baghdad and the Kurds worsened this month when the Kurdistan Regional Government said it was halting oil exports because the central government was not paying oil firms operating in the north.



Iraq is Turkey's second largest trading partner after Germany, with trade reaching $12 billion last year, more than half of which was with the Kurdish region.