New York (HRNW)- Türkiye and Iraq have agreed to deepen security cooperation, including the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zelikan military facility to Iraq’s federal government, following talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in New York.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly, Turkish forces will transfer the facility in stages under an agreed mechanism and timetable, depending on progress in Iraq’s implementation of security measures.
The two leaders also agreed on efforts to restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and end the presence of prohibited foreign armed groups in the area. Security coordination between Ankara and Baghdad was discussed as part of the broader strategic relationship between the two countries.
The agreement also covers economic cooperation, with Türkiye and Iraq agreeing to expand bilateral trade and investment, implement previously signed agreements, and accelerate joint strategic projects, particularly the Development Road Project.
The planned transfer of the Bashiqa-Zelikan facility comes as Ankara and Baghdad seek to coordinate more closely over security issues in northern Iraq and strengthen the authority of the Iraqi federal government.
The agreement marks a new step in bilateral security coordination while linking military arrangements with wider economic and infrastructure cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq.
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