An Iraqi delegation visited Ankara to discuss the future of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline agreement and energy cooperation, Iraq's foreign ministry said on Friday, adding that the two sides agreed to continue technical and legal talks on oil exports.
Iraq and Turkey are expected to sign an executive protocol to ensure the continuation of Iraqi oil exports, including crude from Iraq's Kurdistan region, the ministry said. The protocol would serve as a transitional step paving the way for a new agreement within one year of the expiry of the current deal, it added.
This partnership poses a concern for Israel, Cyprus, and Greece who have a trilateral alliance that focuses on security cooperation to deter Turkish military activity in the region and energy projects that subtly avoid passing through Turkey.
Over time concerns about Turkey's intentions have become an increasingly prominent item, defining the trilateral agenda.
The Turkey-Iraq partnership poses a concern for Israel
As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dramatically altered Turkey’s relationship with Israel, seen most vividly in the Mava Marama incident in 2010, Israel lost an important strategic ally.
As a result, it sought new partners in the region to take Turkey’s place, and Greece and Cyprus, both historic rivals of Turkey and wary of its regional aims, emerged as natural alternatives.
Turkey’s actions have sharpened threat perceptions across the region.
Airspace violations over the Aegean, maritime maneuvers in the Mediterranean, diplomatic and military activism in Libya, and efforts to entrench influence in Syria have made clear to Athens, Nicosia, and Jerusalem that Turkey is flexing its muscles and testing limits.