Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi Arrives in Turkey for Talks on Energy, Trade, and Security

Kathmandu. Iraq's Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi arrived in Turkey on Tuesday. During his visit, discussions are expected on issues such as energy, trade, and security, including plans to extend the oil pipeline to Turkey to reduce the risk to Iraqi oil exports from regional tensions.

This is Prime Minister Zaidi's third foreign visit since taking office. Turkish officials have stated that discussions will be held with officials including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on security, trade, energy, transportation, and water management.

A statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister's office mentioned discussions on joint infrastructure projects that would benefit both parties.

Zaidi, who became Prime Minister as a consensus candidate after ending a long political deadlock in selecting a Prime Minister following last year's parliamentary elections, arrived in Ankara after visiting Washington, USA and Tehran, Iran.

Following a meeting with US President Donald Trump earlier this month, American companies signed agreements and partnerships worth approximately 60 billion US dollars with the Iraqi government. These include a project to build an alternative route for exporting Iraqi oil from the Persian Gulf.

Under one of the proposed projects, there is a plan to build a pipeline from Basra in southern Iraq to Haditha in western Iraq, and then to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey and the port of Baniyas in Syria.

Prime Minister Zaidi's visit comes at a time when Turkey is trying to end the decades-long conflict with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has its main base in northern Iraq.

The PKK announced last year that it would lay down its arms and dissolve the organization as part of the peace process.

Turkey is preparing to enact legal provisions, including limited amnesty, to advance the peace process. It is expected that this may allow some PKK fighters to return to Turkey.

The PKK has been waging an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984. Thousands of people have died in the conflict so far. Turkey, the United States, and the European Union have listed the PKK as a terrorist organization.