Turkey and Iraq

Early Western optimism that Necmettin Erbakan had turned his back on his campaign promises may have been premature. In his first foreign foray as prime minister, the leader of the Islamist Welfare Party chose to tour Turkey's Muslim neighbours to the East, beginning with Iran. His conclusion of a gas supply agreement and border security pact with Tehran infuriated the Americans but was in fact the fulfilment of a project begun by Tansu Ciller, now deputy prime minister.