Iraq, Turkey "open new page" by discussing tough issues (Roundup)

Mar 24, 2009, 18:38 GMT

Baghdad - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Tuesday he hoped his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul's visit would 'open a new page' in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

In the first visit to Iraq by a Turkish head of state in 33 years, Gul addressed thorny issues such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the role of Turkmens in the Kirkuk, and water sharing. Gul discussed these issues during his meeting with the Kurdish premier, Turkmen lawmakers, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

As he wrapped up his two-day visit, Gul discussed Iraq's need for more water, for both agriculture and drinking, as it fights severe drought.

Iraq and Syria have repeatedly asked Turkey to allow more water from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to flow over the dams Turkey built to boost its irrigation projects.

The three neighbouring countries in 2008 reached an agreement that has not yet been put into effect. In 1990, Turkey cut off the flow of water from the Tigris and the Euphrates to Iraq and Syria for weeks.

Also on Tuesday, Gul assured Turkmen lawmakers of their rights while confirming Turkey's determination to strike a compromise on the status of Kirkuk.

Kirkuk, a city that has one of the world's highest oil reserves, remains a source of dispute between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, as each ethnic group claims dominance over the city. Kirkuk did not participate in Iraq's provincial provincial elections at the end of January as a result of the dispute.

Gul's visit, which started on Monday, was described as 'historical' by lawmaker Abbas al-Biati.

'Proposals by the Turkish President regarding Kirkuk were acceptable because Turkmen are part of Iraq's political equation,' al-Biati said.

Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein had worked towards the 'Arabization' of Kirkuk by expelling most of Kurds and replacing them with Arabs. However, after he was ousted after the US-led invasion in 2003, some Kurds returned to their old homes.

Al-Baiti said that Gul's discussions also included an economic aspect. The Turkish president said that the bilateral trade between the two countries would be increased to 9 billion dollars in the near future.

The prime minister of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani and Gul met to discuss developing political, economic and cultural relations. Iraqi-Turkish border security was one of the main issues on the agenda.

After the meeting, Barzani told reporters: 'It is very big step toward the strengthening of relations between the parties. We see Turkey as very important country and we intend to establish good relations with Turkey and we understand Turkey's concerns.'

Barzani indicated support for Talabani's call on the PKK rebels 'to be disarmed or to leave Iraq.'

'We don't believe the PKK problem can be solved with force only, there should be other alternatives too,' said Barzani, adding that pardoning the PKK rebels could be a very important step in helping to solve the problem.

On Monday, Talabani, himself an ethnic Kurd, promised Iraq's help in disarming or ejecting the PKK from the Iraq's Kurdistan region, recalling how Turkey 'stood by the Iraqi people when they were suffering during the years of dictatorship.'