CORRECTS - Turkey-Iraq mull military cooperation, trust agreement

CORRECTS AGREEMENT IN CONSIDERATION, TO BE SIGNED AFTER DELEGATORY MEETINGS SOON

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey and Iraq are in discussions to sign a mutually beneficial military cooperation and trust agreement after day-long meetings in the capital Ankara.

Erdogan received Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in an official ceremony at the presidential palace.

The two leaders exchanged views on several regional and international issues.

In a joint news conference after dinner, Erdogan said the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of the two countries will meet soon to discuss further details of the planned agreements.

Erdogan went on to say that Turkey and Iraq are on the same page regarding Syria's territorial integrity.

On the energy front, Iraqi and Turkish leaders highlighted the importance of reopening the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline which has been vandalized by the Daesh terror group.

Abdul-Mahdi said: "We will never accept any security threat against Turkey stemming from the territory of Iraq."