Turkey, Iraq to hold high-level talks on security, energy in Baghdad, Ankara says

ANKARA (Reuters) – Senior officials from Turkey and Iraq are set to gather in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss a range of important matters, including energy cooperation, security, and defense, according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry made on Wednesday.

Relations between the two neighboring countries have been strained in recent years, particularly as Turkey has increased military operations against Kurdish PKK militants located in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq. Iraq has expressed concerns that these operations are a violation of its sovereignty, while Turkey insists on its right to self-defense and has even hinted at the possibility of a new incursion.

Additionally, Turkey and Iraq have been at odds regarding the resumption of oil exports through a crude oil pipeline that runs from Iraq through Turkey. Ankara claims that the pipeline is ready for operation, but Baghdad has yet to give the green light for exports to resume.

During a briefing in Ankara, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli announced that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency, will engage in discussions with their Iraqi counterparts during a “security summit” in Baghdad.

Keceli mentioned that the agenda will include finding common ground on counterterrorism efforts and outlining concrete steps to address the issue. He also praised Iraq’s recognition of the PKK as a shared security threat, indicating a growing willingness in Iraq to combat the militant group.

The PKK, labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, initiated an armed struggle against the Turkish government in 1984, resulting in over 40,000 casualties in the ongoing conflict.

One of the key topics of discussion during the meetings will be the potential resumption of oil flows through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which serves as Iraq’s main northern oil export route. Turkey halted oil flows through the pipeline following an arbitration ruling that ordered Ankara to compensate Baghdad for unauthorized exports spanning from 2014 to 2018.

Subsequently, Turkey initiated maintenance work on the pipeline, a crucial source contributing to about 0.5% of the global oil supply. Both countries agreed to await the completion of a maintenance assessment before resuming oil flows, while concurrently navigating the legal disputes stemming from the arbitration ruling.

Regarding the pipeline situation, Keceli remarked, “We expressed readiness last October for oil flows to resume through the pipeline. However, it appears that Iraq is not yet prepared for this step. We hope for all involved parties in Iraq to reach a consensus through dialogue and understanding, in order for oil flows to resume promptly.”

Furthermore, the officials are expected to discuss collaboration in the fields of natural gas and renewable energy, as well as preparations for the upcoming visit of President Tayyip Erdogan to Baghdad, anticipated to take place in the spring.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Alison Williams)