Baghdad, The newspapers published in Baghdad today, Tuesday, the twenty-third of April followed the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq, and focused on the strategic framework agreement and the signing of many memorandums of understanding.
Al-Sabah newspaper, published by the Iraqi Media Network, said: ‘Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated in Baghdad yesterday, Monday, the first steps of a road map that represents a historic turning point in the relationship between the two neighboring countries, and the two sides signed the ‘Strategic Framework Agreement,’ which “moves relations to their highest levels for the first time in decades.”
The newspaper added: ‘Al-Sudani and Erdogan sponsored the signing of 25 important memorandums of understanding in various fields, most notably a quadripartite memorandum of understanding between Iraq, Turkey, Qatar and the UAE, aimed at joint cooperation on the strategic (development road) project.’
I
t continued: ‘Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan headed the delegations of the two countries in the expanded discussions that were held in the government palace in Baghdad, and the discussions witnessed discussions on developing commercial and economic relations, increasing trade and encouraging investment, at the official level through the joint economic committee between the two countries, and seeking to activate the Iraqi-Turkish Business Council, and make it a platform through which the two parties exchange their practical experiences, and participate in enhancing cooperation and developing projects in the two countries, as was done during the discussions, emphasizing the strengthening of mutual security between the two countries, and not allowing the lands of the two countries to be a starting point for aggression between them.
Al-Zawraa newspaper, published by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, highlighted on its front page and with a prominent headline the
signing of the strategic framework agreement by Iraq and Turkey and more than 24 memorandums of understanding.
In this regard, it said: ‘Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani and the Turkish President sponsored the signing of the strategic framework agreement and more than 24 memorandums of understanding, and they stressed the importance of establishing joint Iraqi-Turkish industrial institutions inside Iraq.’
It added: “The Turkish President indicated that Iraq constitutes an important trade center for Turkey, stressing that the agreements that were signed represent a turning point in our relations with Iraq.”
The newspaper indicated that the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, received at the Baghdad Palace the President of the Turkish Republic, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his accompanying delegation, and they held bilateral discussions that dealt with strengthening relations between the two countries and mechanisms for developing cooperation in various fields. The need for coordination
and joint work was also stressed in order to reach satisfactory solutions to issues related to security, economy, and water, in a way that serves the aspirations of the neighboring Iraqi and Turkish peoples.’
It continued: ‘Extensive discussions took place between the two sides, focusing on political, security and economic issues, bilateral relations between the two countries, ways to enhance intra-trade, encourage investment opportunities, and the water issue.’
Al-Zawraa stated: ‘President Erdogan stressed the importance of relations between the two countries and the necessity of developing them to include various fields, and that Turkey stands by Iraq in its war against terrorism and in confronting security, environmental and economic challenges. He expressed his country’s understanding of Iraq’s water needs and its keenness to cooperate in this field and through joint committees between the two countries.’
On the issue of water, Al-Zaman newspaper followed the trend of the Ministry of Water Resources to
implement new technologies, with the aim of activating modern methods to improve and develop the water resources sector in all governorates.
According to the newspaper, Minister of Water Resources Aoun Dhiab stressed the effectiveness and benefits of using concrete fabric technology to line irrigation projects, which is being used for the first time, noting: ‘The technology will achieve a qualitative leap.’
The Minister explained: ‘The process of introducing a new technology requires time to study it and learn the details of the work and the extent of its feasibility. The Ministry concluded by starting experimental work with the aim of benefiting from this method due to a number of factors, including the speed of implementation, as lining 500 meters requires a day or a day and a half, while previously it required a month or two.”
He pointed out: ‘This method serves the aspect of calculating costs primarily to know and compare modern technologies with traditional ones,’ noting that the success of testing th
is technology will lead to a qualitative shift in lining the irrigation and drainage canals on a large scale, and will be relied upon to address the problem of waste, which supports optimal use for water resources as stated in the government programme.’
He added: ‘The staff began implementing the concrete quilt experiment with underwater lining, and achieved excellent and clear successes,’ pointing out that it will be rolled out in all governorates in the future because it is a new and previously unused method, with the efforts of the General Authority for Maintenance affiliated with the Ministry, which had the main role in implementation, after it headed to Britain to import the required material and review the available capabilities.’
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
