KIRKUK, IRAQ (AA) - August 2, 2012 - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu arrived in the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Thursday in a historic visit paid by a senior Turkish official in 75 years.
Davutoglu's visit follows his meeting in Irbil with Massoud Barzani, leader of the regional administration in Iraq's north.
The Turkish minister, who is the first ever top Turkish diplomat to visit Kirkuk, is expected to hold a series of talks in he city, which is also the home of a sizeable population of Turkmens, ethnic kin of the Turks.
"I am happy to be the first Turkish foreign minister to visit Kirkuk in 75 years. Kirkuk will be an eternal city of peace in Iraq where our Turkmen, Kurdish and Arab brothers live," Davutoglu tweeted on Thursday.
Turkish diplomatic sources have said Davutoglu's visit was long planned but it was kept secret due to security reasons.
Turkish FM underlines Iraq's unity during visit in Kirkuk
KIRKUK (AA) - August 2, 2012 - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sought to send a message of unity for Iraq during a historic visit to the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Thursday.
"Kirkuk's unity and fraternity is Iraq's unity and fraternity. In Kirkuk, Turkmen, Kurds and Arabs have lived together for centuries and they will live in peace forever. And we will live together in peace with our Iraqi brothers regardless of their Sunni, Shiite, Arab, Kurdish, Turkmen or Christian identities," Davutoglu told reporters whom he greeted in Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic after a meeting with Kirkuk Governor Najmadin Kareem.
Davutoglu is the first Turkish FM ever to visit Kirkuk and he is the first senior Turkish official to set foot in the city in 75 years.
The Turkish minister said Kirkuk would become one of the fastest growing cities in the world with its vast natural resources, adding that Turkey was ready to extend any support for the development of the city.
