Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will sign a strategic framework agreement during his visit to Baghdad on April 22. Fidan told reporters, "Preparations have been completed, and preliminary agreements have been reached to sign more than 20 agreements during President Erdoğan's visit to Iraq. A strategic framework agreement is planned to be signed, which will serve as a roadmap for bilateral relations."
He added that Turkey intends to enhance cooperation with Iraq in various areas, including counter-terrorism. Fidan noted, "Such cooperation is vital for regional security, and relations between Iraq and Turkey will be ideal in our region."
Erdoğan is set to visit Iraq for the first time in 12 years. The Turkish newspaper "Hürriyet" reported that the discussions in Baghdad and Erbil (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) will cover economic issues, alongside plans to establish a joint operations center for counter-terrorism and Turkish permanent bases in northern Iraq, extending 30-40 kilometers deep, and a security zone in the areas of "Hakurk," "Metina," "Zap," and "Gara," where major bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) are located.
According to local media reports, the Turkish army may conduct a significant cross-border operation in northern Iraq following Erdoğan's visit, with the Turkish president previously stating that Turkey aims to control the entire border line with Iraq by the summer.
