Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that Iraq wanted to cooperate with Turkey in every area, particularly in regard to historical buildings and Islamic works of art.   Â
Iraq wants to make use of Turkey's experience and expertise on historic artifacts, particularly on Islamic works of art, al-Maliki told an AA correspondent during the inauguration of Iraqi national museum in Baghdad.
Al-Maliki said that Turkey and other neighboring countries have done everything in their power to return historical artifacts stolen from the national museum of Iraq and smuggled abroad after the overthrow of the Baas regime.
Turkey's Ambassador to Iraq Derya Kanbay and Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), also participated in the inauguration ceremony.
Around 7,000 of historical artifacts, previously exhibited in the museum, are still missing.
