Iraq, Turkey strengthen energy relationship

The bilateral relationship between Iraq and Turkey is strengthening following recent meetings in which an increased collaboration on oil, natural gas and electric energy production and export was discussed.
Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz (L) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari sign documents in Baghdad January 18, 2015. Yildiz said on Sunday around 450,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iraqi oil were currently flowing into his country's Ceyhan port. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad (IRAQ -Tags: POLITICS ENERGY) - RTR4LV6E
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz (L) and Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari sign documents in Baghdad, Jan. 18, 2015. - REUTERS/Ahmed Saad
Zulfikar Dogan.jpg
Zulfikar Dogan
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The bilateral relations between Iraq and Turkey clearly improved after the visit of Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz to Baghdad on Jan. 18, when new protocols and agreements were signed on oil, natural gas and electric energy.

This is certainly a drastic change from 2012, when the plane carrying Yildiz to a meeting in Erbil was forced to return to Turkey because Baghdad canceled the permission for it to enter Iraqi airspace.

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