IRAQ - Erdogan Visit.

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Oct. 15 paid a state visit to Baghdad, where he received a red carpet welcome by Maleki. A number of agreements were signed. But while Maleki stressed the importance of Iraqi sovereignty, Erdogan reiterated Ankara's vow to keep pursuing PKK rebels in Iraqi Kurdistan which further angered Barzani in the north. Erdogan's efforts to renew Turkish mediation between Iraq and Syria was politely rebuffed by Baghdad, with Zebari again telling reporters no mediation would help unless Syria handed over suspects listed by the government. A further complication came when Erdogan said Iraq would potentially benefit from deeper partnerships between Turkey and each of Syria and Iran - alluding to Syrian suggestions that Iraq be part of a four-way alliance, while Tehran has been hinting repeatedly that Iraq would eventually be part of the Iran-led axis.

Turkey had just cancelled NATO air force exercises which was due to begin on Oct. 12 and was to include Israeli pilots. The ceremonial ending of all border check-points between Syria and Turkey and joint Oct. 12-14 ministerial meetings in Aleppo and the nearby Turkish town of Gaziantep were timed with an announcement that they will be full-scale Syrian-Turkish military exercises involving all the armed services in the near future. Meanwhile, the Iran-led axis has kept blocking stabilisation efforts on the AfPak front, Africa, the GCC area, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen (see news16SyrSauOct19-09).