Türkiye, Iraq agree to set up joint committee against terrorism

and Iraq on Thursday agreed to establish a joint committee to work on counterterrorism during talks between their top officials in Baghdad.

A joint statement said the committees would cooperate on trade, agriculture, energy, water, health and transportation to bolster bilateral relations after a security meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein and their delegations.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, the head of the National Intelligence

Organization (MİT), İbrahim Kalın and Deputy Minister of Interior Münir Karaloğlu were among the Turkish delegation.

The parties exchanged views on regional challenges, including the “massacre amounting to genocide” in Gaza, and strongly affirmed their support for the Palestinian cause, the statement said.

Both parties underscored the importance of Iraq’s political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Additionally, they emphasized the threat posed by the PKK terrorist group to the security of both nations, highlighting that the presence of this group in Iraqi territory constitutes a violation of Iraq’s constitution.

Türkiye expressed satisfaction with the Iraqi National Security Council’s decision to designate the PKK terrorist group a banned organization in Iraq, the statement said.

Both sides also engaged in discussions on the measures to be taken against the organization and its affiliates that target Türkiye using Iraqi territory.

The joint statement underscored the continuation of dialogue initiated during previous meetings in Ankara in December last year.

It added that during the meetings, it was also agreed to intensify efforts toward drafting a memorandum of understanding to establish a structural framework in various spheres of relations between the two countries, aiming to establish regular contact mechanisms.

In a security-oriented meeting held between Türkiye and Iraq in December,

Iraq described the PKK terrorist group as a “common threat” and for the first time, defined it as a “banned organization.”

The two countries are also gearing up for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Baghdad after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, further signifying a pivotal moment in bilateral relations.

The pair confirmed that all efforts will be made for the success of Erdoğan’s “historic” visit to Iraq, according to the statement.