Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Jan. 7 that he had reached an agreement with Turkey over Turkish troops stationed in the town of Bashiqa near Mosul, Reuters reported. Iraq has demanded that these troops withdraw and, in October, this erupted into a diplomatic row. Turkey insists that the forces are there legitimately, having been invited by local authorities. While Abadi said that Ankara had agreed to “respect the sovereignty of Iraq,” the precise details of what this would entail have not been released. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim began a two-day visit to Baghdad Jan. 7, the first since the October diplomatic tensions. No matter how cordial it is, Yildirim’s visit will not resolve the issue that has strained Iraqi-Turkish relations recently.
Source :STRATFOR
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