Official Turkish Sources Reveal Details Of The Security And Military MoU With Iraq

Istanbul /NINA/ - Official sources in the Turkish Ministry of Defense revealed today, Thursday, the details of the security memorandum of understanding between Ankara and Baghdad regarding military cooperation between the two countries in the field of combating terrorism.

The Turkish military sources said: The memorandum of understanding stipulates the training of military and security forces to combat terrorist organizations, maintain joint border security, combat irregular migration and infiltration across the common borders, combat smuggling and organized crime, exchange of intelligence information, and cooperation in the field of military defense.

They added: A joint security coordination center will be established in Baghdad, to be managed by two commanders with the rank of general from Turkey and Iraq, and will include civilian employees, with the number and type of workers and work methods to be determined through technical consultations.

The Turkish military sources indicated that a joint training and cooperation center will be established at Bashiqa base of the Iraqi army, and the center will operate under joint management by the two parties, and training and exchange of information and expertise will take place in it to achieve the main goal of the memorandum of understanding, which is to eliminate the threats posed by terrorist or banned organizations to the sovereignty and security of the two countries and the security of the region.

 Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein had confirmed last Thursday that the memorandum of understanding between Baghdad and Ankara on military and security cooperation and combating terrorism is the first of its kind in the history of the two countries and that bilateral security and military relations have taken a step forward, and that they aim to strengthen relations through the committees.

In turn, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced at the time that the memorandum of understanding has historical importance, stressing that Ankara and Baghdad have made great progress in embodying the will of the leaders of the two countries, and increasing awareness of the security concerns posed by the PKK organization in Iraq./End