Iraq on Monday rolled out the red carpet for Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who held talks in Baghdad in an official visit that promises to boost co-operation between Baghdad and Ankara.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, who received Mr Erdogan at Baghdad International Airport as a 21-gun salute rang out, hailed the visit as a "clear expression of the depth of the relationship between the two countries".
In an official ceremony, a strategic framework agreement to boost co-operation in different fields, including security, energy and the economy, was signed.
"The signing of the framework agreement is a road map for a strategic and sustainable co-operation in all fields," Mr Al Sudani said in a joint press conference, adding that permanent joint committees will be established to oversee co-operation.
Discussions also focused on security co-operation and ways to deal with "the challenges of the presence of armed actors that could co-operate with terrorist groups," Mr Al Sudani added, referring to the Kurdish militant group the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK.
The presence of the rebel group in the mountainous region of northern Iraq has been one of the contentious issues between the two counties.
The Iraqi PM acknowledged that there are "soft spots that require more control and stability in the shared border areas".
Mr Erdogan said he discussed the "joint steps the two countries could take against the terrorist [group] PKK" and welcomed Iraq's designation of them as a banned group.
Before meeting with Mr Al Sudani, Mr Erdogan held talks with the Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid.
The discussions focused on political, security and economic issues and ways to enhance trade, encourage investment opportunities and the issue of water rights, according to a statement from Mr Rashid's office.
The Iraqi President stressed the need for "co-ordination to combat terrorism and ensure the common security of the two countries and the region", the statement said.
Referring to PKK, he said that "Iraq rejects [the idea] that its territory is being used as a launching pad for aggressions or threats to neighbouring countries".
"We also reject any attack or violation against Iraqi cities," he said, stressing the necessity of respecting "Iraq’s sovereignty and national security". Turkey has carried out military operations inside Iraq targeting PKK fighters.
In a statement from Mr Erdogan's office, he told his Iraqi counterpart that Turkey "had expectations of Iraq regarding the fight against the terrorist organisation PKK, and that Iraq must be rid of all forms of terrorism".
PKK which has been fighting since early 1980s to gain greater autonomy for the Kurdish people.
Last month, a Turkish delegation held talks in Baghdad. During the meeting, Ankara asked for greater co-operation in its fight against the PKK ahead of a military operation this summer, according to Iraqi officials.
The two sides hailed the talks as “productive” and Turkey welcomed Iraq’s move to designate the PKK as a “banned organisation”.
The conflict between the Turkish army and PKK, escalated in the 1990s, when Turkey launched several ground operations in northern Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War.
Since then, Ankara has launched several military operations in Iraq against the group. These operations have been expanded in recent years in northern Iraq, with ground troops supported by artillery and air strikes.
The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by the US and the EU. It took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the insurgency.
Mr Erdogan's last visit to Iraq was in 2011, when he was Turkey’s prime minister. During his one-day visit this time, he will meet Kurdish officials in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region.
Mr Rashid demanded Iraq receive a "fair share" of water. Mr Erdogan expressed his country's "understanding of Iraq's water needs, and its keenness to co-operate in this field", the statement said.
The two countries also signed a 10-year agreement on management of water resources that aims to ensure Iraq gets fair share of water flowing to its two main rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, Mr Al Sudani announced.
The two countries will carry out joint projects to exchange expertise in for agricultural projects such as irrigation systems.
Late on Sunday, Iraqi government spokesman Basim Al Awadi told state TV that the agreement stipulates establishing a fund in which Iraq will divert some of its oil revenue to mega water and agriculture projects to be carried by Turkish companies.
In another significant step, Mr Al Sudani and Mr Erdogan oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Iraq, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Qatar to co-operate in the $17 billion rail and road project linking Asia to Europe through Iraq's under-construction Al Faw port on the Arabian Gulf coast.
The plan is known as the Dry Canal or Development Road. The proposed road and rail link will run from southern Iraq to Turkey, where it will connect to rail and road networks in Europe.
Transport ministers of United Arab Emirates and Qatar joined the discussions and signed quadripartite agreement.
"This project will economically transform the region and give it multiplied economic significance, opening up unprecedented opportunities for integration," Mr Al Sudani said.
More than 20 memorandums of understandings between Iraqi and Turkish institutions were also signed.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
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The five pillars of Islam
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5