Turkey defends its diplomatic relations with Iraq

Turkey's prime minister Polent Acawid has defended his country's special decision to raise the level of its diplomatic representation with Iraq to the ambassadorial level. He stressed that Turkey can not build good relations with Iraq while it has not an ambassador in Baghdad, besides the presence of such an ambassador will serve Turkey and its allies.

In an interview with the Turkish official TV on Friday, the Turkish President called on the US to understand the Turkish position and to realize the fact that this does not mean a change in its policy.