The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Baghdad

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made his first visit to Iraq on Thursday aiming to help with security and reconstruction efforts and discuss the thorny cross-border issue of Kurdish rebels.

Erdogan was greeted by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other senior ministers, including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani, a Baghdad airport official told AFP.

His visit comes just a day after gunmen attacked the highly-fortified US consulate in Turkey's biggest city of Istanbul, triggering a shootout that left three attackers and three police officers dead. Turkey's Anatolia news agency said Erdogan was accompanied by four ministers including Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Energy Minister Hilmi Guler.

It said Erdogan will first hold talks with Maliki where they were expected to sign an agreement aimed at developing bilateral ties and later meet other leaders including President Jalal Talabani.

Erdogan is only the second top leader from one of Iraq's neighbours to visit since the March 2003 invasion, after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a historic trip in March.

Ahmadinejad's visit symbolised the flourishing ties between Tehran and the Shiite-led government in Baghdad installed after the ouster of Saddam Hussein by the invading troops.

Worried by the growing tilt of Baghdad towards Shiite dominated Iran, Washington has been urging Iraq's other Sunni-led neighbours to boost their diplomatic ties with Baghdad.

Last month, Turkish special envoy Murat Ozcelik met Maliki and underlined Turkey's desire to support Iraq in its efforts to advance stability and reconstruction, the Iraqi premier's office said.