ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday said Ankara places “great importance” on its relationship with Baghdad and there is a lot of potential for developing ties in various sectors as Iraqi political parties negotiate to form a new government after last month’s election.
“We really attach great importance to our neighborhood and relations with Iraq,” Fidan told Rudaw on the sidelines of the Doha Forum when asked about Turkey’s role in the formation of the new Iraqi cabinet.
Iraq held parliamentary elections on November 11. The Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudan,i emerged as the largest bloc with 46 seats in the 329-member parliament, but his electoral win does not guarantee him a second term.
The ruling Shiite Coordination Framework convened on Monday to narrow its list of potential prime ministerial candidates from 30 to 10, Amer al-Fayez, head of the Tasmim Alliance who participated in the meeting, told Rudaw at the time.
Fidan said Ankara worked well with Sudani’s outgoing government.
"We are trying to do everything in our power to help Iraq recover from its past wounds, and to deliver basic services to their people.