Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has said that his visit to Ankara was aimed at strengthening the longstanding ties between Iraq and Türkiye rather than fulfilling a diplomatic protocol, emphasising the two countries’ commitment to deeper cooperation.
“Our visit is not merely a matter of protocol, but a sign of strengthening relations that date back centuries,” al-Zaidi said during a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after their bilateral meeting on Tuesday.
Al-Zaidi said Iraq seeks “a partnership based on brotherhood,” adding that the two countries are working in particular on the Development Road Project, a major infrastructure initiative intended to connect the Gulf with global markets through Iraq.
“Geography has naturally given us two rivers. Now we want a third river. Let this be a river of economy, and that, of course, is the Development Road,” al-Zaidi said, describing the project as a symbol of economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
Earlier, Erdogan received al-Zaidi with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, the president’s chief foreign policy and security adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic and other officials attended the ceremony on Tuesday.
