Ankara, Baghdad Keen To Cooperate On Border Security

The Iraqi government considers a Turkish request to step up cooperation on border security as a "positive" development, Iraqi Justice Minister Haidar al-Zamili said Tuesday.



In a statement, the ministry said that Zamili had recently discussed the request with Turkish Deputy FM Ahmet Yildiz and Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Fatih Yildiz.



"The Iraqi government views Turkey's demand for joint border security in a positive manner," the statement read.



"Political and security developments in the region require new agreements, including [agreements on] the sovereignty rights of neighboring countries," it added.



Deputy FM Yildiz, for his part, has voiced Turkey's readiness to "fight against terrorism and cooperate on [the issue of] both countries' sovereignty".



*Ali Murat Alhas contributed to this report from Ankara -