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The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu paid a visit to Kirkuk on 2 August 2012, and this visit was handled as an important agenda item in both international, regional, and bilateral relations with Iraq. Considering especially the internal politics of Iraq and Turkey-Iraq relations, the aforesaid visit might be regarded as the most important milestone of the recent period. Considering in terms of the Turkish foreign policy, it has an historical importance as it has been the first visit to Kirkuk since 1970s, while it also adds a new dimension to the relations between Turkey and Iraq during a period when the relations are tense. In addition, it would not be wrong to suggest that the visit has also affected the internal balances in Iraq. On the other hand, Turkmens attached a major importance to this visit as well. Thus, this study strives to analyze the Kirkuk visit of Davutoğlu from different dimensions, and also to put forward the future of Turkey-Iraq relations and Turkmen strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently the economic and political relationship between Turkey and Kurdistan Region of Iraq (IKR) is in its best term. The interruption of the common stance adopted by the two sides regarding the Syrian crisis, which carries several risks for the both sides, by the unilateral moves of IKR President Massoud Barzani in July constituted the main agenda of Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu's last trip to Erbil. The visit, that has left remarkable influence on the public and political debate in the IKR, has added new dimensions both to the bilateral relations and IKR's internal and external politics. In this study these developments will be evaluated through the expectations, reactions and policy of the IKR concerning the Syrian crisis, as well as the outlook to Turkish foreign policy towards Syrian crisis. The study will be concluded by the predictions and policy recommendations regarding the possible steps that the IKR might take in its internal and external policy realm, as well as the future of Turkey-IKR relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]