ANKARA
Baghdad's relations with Ankara are key to stability in Iraq and the Middle East, Iraq's parliament speaker has said.
Salim al-Jabouri was speaking ahead of his planned visit on Sunday, saying that Turkey was a "very important country for Iraq and Iraqis."
"If we fail to elevate our relations with Turkey to the highest level, we cannot ensure stability in our country and our region," Jabouri told The Anadolu Agency on Thursday.
The speaker noted that Baghdad appreciates Ankara's commitment to Iraq's integrity and "sincere intentions" to improve ties.
Speaking of his upcoming visit, Jabouri said he would discuss "significant strategic issues" with the Turkish authorities. A major topic would be Turkey's expected contribution to equipping and training Iraqi forces, Jabouri added.
On an anticipated offensive by the Iraqi military on the city of Mosul, which has been held by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants since June last year, Jabouri said the campaign was in the preparatory phase and that it would be to the benefit of the Iraqi people.
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