Iraqi President to visit Ankara later this month

Following the Turkish Army's pullback from northern Iraq, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has firmed up a visit to take place later this month. A Turkish delegation had conveyed the invitation from President Abdullah Gul last week, but while accepting it, Talabani said he couldn't set a date until the end of Turkey's cross-border operation, which ended last Friday. Talabani praised the pullback. An agreement on Turkish-Iraqi energy cooperation, supported by the US, could be signed during his visit.