Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan headed the delegations of the two countries in the expanded discussions held at the government palace in Baghdad, today, Monday. An official statement said that the discussions witnessed an agreement on the strategic framework, which will represent a road map for building sustainable strategic cooperation, emphasizing the importance of the development path in the economic aspect and enhancing economic integration. The development of commercial and economic relations, increasing trade and encouraging investment were also discussed at the official level through the joint economic committee between the two countries, and efforts were made 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. During the discussions, it was emphasized to strengthen mutual security between the two countries, and not to allow the lands of the two countries to be a starting point for aggression between them, in addition to emphasizing the existence of a real need to establish joint Iraqi-Turkish industrial institutions inside Iraq, with joint capital, and to work to facilitate procedures for granting entry permits to Iraqi citizens for the purpose of tourism, trade, investment, treatment and study. In the cultural aspect, the two sides agreed to take steps to implement joint projects aimed at strengthening social and humanitarian relations and developing comprehensive cooperation in the field of higher education, exchange of courses, mutual recognition of universities, establishment of schools, and cultural exchange in all fields. During the discussions, it was agreed to cooperate in the field of water, and to formulate a comprehensive participation and vision for the interests of both sides in irrigation infrastructure projects and water management, in addition to presenting joint coor dination files related to agriculture, electricity, health, sports, and youth aspects. The expanded discussions session was preceded by a bilateral meeting between Al-Sudani and Erdogan, which discussed the overall relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in various sectors and files of common interest, in addition to developments in events in the region, and stressing the importance of coordinating positions in order to stop the aggression to which the Palestinians are exposed in Gaza, and ways to Preventing the spread of conflict and tensions in the region. Source: National Iraqi News Agency