Ankara (AsiaNews) – Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will visit Ankara Friday, his first visit as head of state. Turkish newspapers reported the three-day visit in connection with the recent incursion by Turkish troops against PKK separatists in Iraqi Kurdistan. But according to Hürriyet the date has not yet been confirmed by the Turkish President’s Office.
According to the Turkish Daily News, Turkey’s offensive will be at the centre of discussions with Talabani. Issues relating to their bilateral realtions will also be raised.
The paper writes that Ankara fears Iraqi Kurds are planning to set up their own state, and this has cooled relations between the two neighbours. Amid such concerns Turkey's former president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, refused to invite his Iraqi counterpart to Ankara despite booming economic and trade ties
The paper also said that the Iraqi side might raise the issue of damages caused by the Turkish army on civilians and the civilian infrastructure.
Iraqi lawmakers in visit to the affected area said that four bridges were reportedly destroyed by Turkish bombardment in the Amadiya. One of them spoke about Turkish compensation.