PPG24 Premier Desk Turkey : Iran, Iraq

SALEHI VISITS TURKEY

Speaking from Turkey, where he visited to have talks with senior Turkish officials, Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi gave the green light to another round of nuclear talks to be held between that country and a UN delegation called the P5+1 in Istanbul, but he said no exact date has been set for the meeting yet. As part of his contacts in Turkey, Salehi firstly went to Konya, where he visited the Mevlana Museum. Speaking to reporters in Konya, Salehi said that he has spent one of the happiest days in his life at the Museum. In reply to a reporter’s question on the content of his contacts in Ankara, Salehi said, “I have contacted [Foreign Minister] Ahmet Davutoglu either on the phone or face-to-face maybe seven or eight times last year. Our political consultations are continuously underway. The reason for this is that the two big nations have a special position in the region. These two nations have a common history and their relations are intertwined. Now our political consultations are much more important due to changes in the region.” After visiting Konya, Salehi proceeded to Ankara, where he held contacts with President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as Environment and Urban Planning Minister Erdogan Bayraktar as part of the 23rd meeting of Turkey-Iran Joint Economic Commission. Speaking to reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Salehi said that he was in favor of holding contacts with the P5+1 group in Istanbul with regard to Iran’s nuclear program, but that related negotiations held by Davutoglu and Catherine Ashton, high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with Said Celili, Iranian chief negotiator at nuclear talks, were underway. In Ankara, the regional issues, Iran’s nuclear program and bilateral relations were on the agenda during the meeting between Salehi and Erdogan. Reportedly, both Salehi and Erdogan agreed that the two countries should act in cooperation to ensure that tension is decreased in Iraq. Speaking in his part, Erdogan said sectarian conflicts which are likely to create deep impacts on the region should be avoided. During the meeting, Salehi also informed Erdogan on his concerns over NATO’s missile defense radar to be placed in southeastern province of Malatya, and Erdogan told Salehi that Turkey would not be involved in any intervention targeting our neighbors.

ERDOGAN SENDS A MESSAGE TO BARZANI

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday sent a message through Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan to Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq, indicating that unity and solidarity in Iraq are vitally important to Turkey and the region. In reply to his message, Barzani said that he agreed with him, adding that he prays for Erdogan to regain his health. Speaking on the harsh remarks recently made by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki which accuse Turkey of intervening in its internal affairs, Caglayan said that such remarks were saddening. Caglayan also sent the kindest regards from President Abdullah Gul and Erdogan to Barzani.

CAGLAYAN VISITS NORTHERN IRAQ

Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and an accompanying delegation yesterday visited Arbil and Suleimaniyah cities of Iraq. As part of his contacts, Caglayan said that Turkey had embassies or consulates in almost all countries, not to mention the commercial attaches, and that Ministry of Economy has been working very closely with Foreign Ministry. Stating that the harsh remarks recently made by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki did not create any negative impact on commercial relations between the two countries, Caglayan said that Iraqi Ministry of Electricity on Tuesday approved a $235 million tender which was awarded to the Turkish company ENKA, and another $125 million contract won by the Turkish company Dorce was approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Health in the same day. Caglayan stated that the Iraqi central government has not created any obstacle to Turkish companies, adding, “Our foreign trade with Iraq reached $12.5 billion. Besides, our export to Iraq is now close to $8.5 billion. The investments made by Turkish companies in Iraq currently amounts to $16 billion.” Caglayan also held a meeting with Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional administration in northern Iraq, which was also attended by Berham Salih, prime minister of the northern Iraqi autonomous administration, Fuad Hussein, chief of staff for Barzani, and Sinan Chalabi, regional administration’s industry and trade minister. Following the meeting which was closed to press, Caglayan made a statement, stressing that he has held a very productive meeting with Barzani and also discussed economic relations between Turkey and Iraq. Stating that new border gates should be opened to boost trade relations between the two countries, Caglayan said that opening border gates of Gulyazi, Uzumlu and Derecik would make positive contributions towards this end.

TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD ATTACKED

Three rockets were fired at the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad yesterday, one of which hit the embassy’s exterior wall. Officials said that Russian-made, 73-mm rockets which were used in attacks have been held both by Sunnis and Shiites, adding that efforts are underway to identify attackers. Turkish Ambassador in Baghdad Yunus Demirer talked with the Iraqi Ministry of National Security following the rocket attack and requested that attackers are identified and security measures around the building are increased. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu who also discussed the incident from Brussels called Demirel to be informed on the issue. Davutoğlu said the attack was being investigated, adding, “In any case, security of our embassy is guaranteed by Iraq and its government. Our ambassador has conveyed necessary messages to Iraqi officials, who said in return that they guaranteed the security of Turkish embassy and confirmed that the background of attacks would be investigated.”

NOTE
This section is dedicated to the “Prosumerzen Power Group = P24″© and it will introduce our Readers to the publication of the “Prosumerzen Leading Countries”© and of the “Prosumerzen Stability Index”© as well as the ” Prosumerzen State Actors – Not State Actors Overlapping Index”©.
The “Prosumerzen Leading Countries”© are the following Countries and they are selected with an index created by Paolo Dealberti that evaluates around 400 variables.
“Prosumerzen Power Group = P24″© = Argentina,Australia,Brazil,Canada,Chile,China,Egypt,France,Germany,India,Italy,Japan,Malaysia , Mexico,Netherlands,S.Africa,S. Korea,,Spain,Sweden,Taiwan.Turkey,UK,USA.
“Prosumerzen Alternative Consensus = P9″© = Cuba,Iran,Nicaragua,N.Korea,Liberia,North Sudan,Syria,Somalia
“Prosumerzen Rising Voices = P6″© = Canada,China,Brazil,Germany,Russia,India
“Prosumerzen Global Power = P4″© = China,France,USA, UK