Turkish PM's Visit to Iraq May Boost Economic Ties, Deputy PM Says

Ankara is expecting stronger economic ties to be developed as a result of Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's visit to Iraq, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Yildirim is planning to visit the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Erbil on Saturday and Sunday.

"We expect from the planned visit of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to Baghdad and Erbil more tangible steps to be taken for further economic ties while taking into account our ties with our friends and brothers in northern Iraq," Kurtulmus told Rudaw news agency.

The deputy prime minister reportedly added that the talks both with Iraq and the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan would focus on the economy.

According to the outlet, Yildirim also said that he was hoping Iraq and Turkey could reach an agreement on the status of Turkish troops sent to the Iraqi town of Bashiqa, held by the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia) militants, in late 2015, allegedly to train Sunni fighters. Ankara's move has been repeatedly criticized by Baghdad.

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