PM Erdoğan invites Iraqi counterpart to Turkey

BAGHDAD - Doğan News Agency

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki speaks during the opening ceremony of the Defense University for Military Studies in Baghdad in this file photo taken June 17, 2012. REUTERS photo

A Turkish delegation of high-level officials yesterday passed on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s invite to the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during their visit to the country.

The delegation, headed by the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission head Volkan Bozkır, conducted a series of meetings with Iraqi politicians, including meetings with Iraqi Parliamentary Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

Bozkır passed on Erdoğan’s message to Maliki, inviting the Iraqi prime minister to Turkey, who reportedly received the invite in a positive manner.

The delegation further discussed regional concerns, including the Syrian conflict, as well as bilateral relations with Iraqi politicians during the meetings. Both sides expressed willingness to further develop relations.