An upcoming security summit following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Baghdad will determine a legal framework for security and military cooperation between the two countries, Iraqi Ambassador to Ankara Majid al-Lajmawi said.

"It is expected that a security meeting will be held for security leaders in both countries in the near future, devoted to agreeing on the principles of military and security cooperation and framing this cooperation within a legal framework to which both parties are committed," al-Lajmawi told Daily Sabah in an exclusive interview.

Erdoğan is set to visit Baghdad on Monday, opening the path to refocusing bilateral relations on a positive momentum after years of turmoil due to a range of controversies.

"The expected visit of the Turkish president has been prepared for more than a year and Turkish officials made several visits to Iraq last year and this year, which served as preliminary steps for President Erdoğan's upcoming visit to Baghdad," the ambassador said, indicating that the two sides are working in high coordination to make this visit a success.

Reiterating that this is the first visit of the Turkish president to Iraq since 2011, al-Lajmawi said that it is expected that a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding will be signed "to enhance cooperation between the two countries in several fields."

He said that the bilateral discussions that Erdoğan will hold with the president and prime minister of Iraq will focus on cooperation in the fight against the PKK and other terrorist organizations, the Development Road Project – "which puts Iraq on the map of global trade again," water resources and resuming oil exports through the Iraqi-Turkish pipeline.

"Agreement on these files would provide a promising opportunity to strengthen Iraqi-Turkish relations," al-Lajmawi underlined.

"Iraq continues to pursue a balanced foreign policy with the countries of the world, especially with neighboring countries," the ambassador pointed out.

"In this context, during the past few days, intensive meetings took place with the Turkish side to adopt a strategic framework for joint cooperation between the two countries, which includes multiple topics, including the water problem, the PKK, other terrorists and banned organizations as well as the Iraqi National Security Council's resolution prohibiting activity of the PKK in Iraq and the fronts through which it operates."

Senior Turkish and Iraqi officials held high-level talks in Baghdad in March to discuss security issues. As a result and as an important achievement, the Iraqi National Security Council decided to consider the PKK a "banned organization in Iraq," and a joint statement on security issues was declared. The statement also said both sides had "stressed that the PKK organization represents a security threat to both Türkiye and Iraq" and that its presence in Iraq "represents a violation of the Iraqi constitution."

"During Erdoğan's visit, the two sides will hopefully reach an understanding regarding the framework for joint cooperation between the two countries," al-Lajmawi said.

However, he also highlighted that security and military cooperation between the two countries includes several sensitive and vulnerable files.

"This cooperation includes enhancing the security of the common borders, combating terrorist organizations and their activities, cooperation in combating cross-border organized crime, human and drug trafficking, illegal immigration, financial crimes and recovering wanted persons," al-Lajmawi continued.

The ambassador further added that, "The security and military cooperation between the two countries also includes programs to exchange information on combatting terrorist organizations, supporting defense industries and military equipment and enhancing the capabilities of the security forces through armament and training."

Türkiye has, since 2019, conducted a series of cross-border operations in northern Iraq against the PKK, dubbed "Claw." Yet, these operations were criticized by Baghdad for violating its sovereignty. The difference of opinion led the two countries in the past few months to explore new ways for cooperation to overcome the joint threat.

In addition to the security agenda, the two countries aim to enhance their bilateral trade volume. Baghdad is a huge export market for Türkiye and a target for investment.

Moreover, Iraq is one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of hydrocarbon resources and neighboring Türkiye as an energy corridor aims to play an increasing role in delivering Iraqi oil and gas to global markets.

Al-Lajmawi said that several meetings took place between Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul-Ghani and Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar to discuss resuming the export of Iraqi oil through the Iraqi-Turkish oil pipeline, a large part of which was damaged in the earthquake that struck southeastern Turkish provinces last year.

He reiterated that Ankara recently announced the rehabilitation of the damaged parts of the pipeline and the completion of technical and logistical requirements related to the readiness of the pipeline to resume the export of Iraqi oil. "However, some problems that occurred on the 46-inch and 40-inch pipeline inside Iraq prevented the resumption of export operations. We confirm that the concerned authorities in Iraq, namely the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Ministry of Oil, are working to resolve them," the ambassador emphasized. "The alternative line can be resorted to in coordination with the KRG to avoid problems that may stand in the way of resuming oil exports."

The agreement between Baghdad and Ankara on the Iraq-Türkiye oil pipeline (ITP) operations was extended in 2010 for 15 years and will expire in mid-2025.