OREANDA-NEWS.  Iraqi and Turkish energy officials will meet in Baghdad to discuss Ankara's energy deals with Iraq's autonomous northern region that the central government says are illegal.

"After discussions with the Baghdad government, and (Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet) Davutoglu's talks with (Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar) Zebari, a decision was made for (Turkey's Energy Minister Taner) Yildiz to travel to Baghdad on Sunday," said an official at Turkey's energy ministry.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz will meet Iraq's deputy prime minister for energy, Hussain al-Shahristani.

"Latest developments and energy issues on the agenda will be discussed with al-Shahristani, including a pipeline between Basrah and Ceyhan. The energy deals between Ankara and (the) Kurdish Regional Government will also be discussed," the same official said.

It remained unclear whether Yildiz will then travel to Arbil to attend an energy conference to be held this week, the official said, and added that the decision would be made in line with developments.

It will be Yildiz's first visit to Iraq since his plane was denied permission to land by Baghdad late last year when he tried to attend an energy conference in Arbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.

Turkey's courtship of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has infuriated the central government in Baghdad, which says it has sole authority to manage Iraqi energy resources.

Shahristani said on Thursday any energy deal with Arbil would be "an encroachment on the sovereignty of Iraq".

Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan signed a multi-billion-dollar energy package last week, sources close to the deal said on Friday, that will help transform the Iraqi region into an oil and gas powerhouse.

Turkey's foreign ministry said on Saturday that Ankara and Arbil had "agreed on some trade deals" but had yet to finalise them and said Turkey would seek Baghdad's cooperation on the issue.

Baghdad says Kurdish efforts towards oil independence could lead to the break up of the country and the dispute has also raised concern in Washington.

Turkey, hungry for energy and dependent on imports for almost all of its needs, says Iraqi Kurdistan's resources will help diversify its energy supplies and reduce its ballooning USD 60 billion annual energy bill.