ANKARA, Dec 24 (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi arrived here Friday on a surprise visit for talks with Turkish leaders on the situation in their joint neighbor Iraq and bilateral ties.
Kharazi, who is on a regional tour covering also Syria and Lebanon, was to meet Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
"The talks are expected to focus on Iraq, bilateral ties as well as regional issues," a Turkish diplomat said.
In a brief statement on his arrival at Ankara airport, Kharazi said that Turkey and Iran should step up consultations on regional issues, Anatolia news agency reported.
Ahead of the January 30 polls in Iraq, both Turkey and Iran have called for the participation of all ethnic groups in the elections and in the future administration of the war-torn country.
The two countries are also concerned over any moves by the Kurds in northern Iraq towards greater autonomy which they fear might fan unrest among their own Kurdish minorities.
On the bilateral front, Tehran and Ankara have recently bolstered cooperation on security issues after trading accusation that each side was sheltering eacxh others' opponents.
But relations have been affected by a series of bitter trade disputes.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami postponed a visit to Turkey in September after Iran's conservative-controlled parliament approved a bill giving lawmakers veto power over two major contracts signed with Turkish companies.
12/24/2004 15:30 GMT - AFP