Türkiye's President Erdogan Meets With Iraqi Counterpart In Baghdad

By Esra Tekin and Mustafa Hatipoglu

ISTANBUL (AA) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Latif Rashid on Monday during an official visit to the neighboring country's capital Baghdad, according to an official statement.

"President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in Baghdad for an official visit, met with President Abdul Latif Rashid of Iraq," said the statement by the Turkish Presidency.

No further information on the closed-door meeting was provided.

Erdogan had arrived in Baghdad earlier on Monday in the first official visit to Iraq by a Turkish president in 13 years.

He was welcomed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al Sudani and other Iraqi officials in a ceremony at Baghdad International Airport.

Erdogan was accompanied by Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, his chief adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic, and other ministers.

He is expected to also hold a meeting with Prime Minister al Sudani during his one-day visit.

After Baghdad, he will also be visiting Erbil, capital of the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq. -