Minister of Foreign Affairs delivers Iraq’s speech at joint ministerial meeting of Cooperation Council for Arab States of Gulf

Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein delivered on Thursday 16/9/2021 Iraq’s speech at the joint ministerial meeting of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

In his speech, the Minister expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf, Mr. Nayef Falah Mubarak Al-Hajraf, for his care and great interest in the success of the strategic dialogue between the Republic of Iraq and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. He noted that these meetings established a new stage to build bridges of trust and find appropriate mechanisms to achieve economic, commercial, investment and security cooperation, represented by the joint action plan between Iraq and the GCC states.

He expressed his deep thanks to all the brotherly states for their participation in the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, stressing that this conference came to confirm Iraq’s efforts to adopt a policy of balance in its foreign relations and to find a common ground for cooperation with the regional and international surroundings.

Adding that Iraq seeks to adopt positions to reduce tensions and crises by giving priority to the language of dialogue, in light of the current challenges, the events, conflicts and crises that the Arab region and Middle East are going through that call for concerted efforts to confront them and find peaceful solutions to them.

With the efforts, sacrifices and blood of its sons from the various types of armed forces, Iraq was able to liberate the Iraqi lands and regain control over them from the terrorist gangs of ISIS until the world became safer after these historical victories.

Mr. Hussein called for continuing to make efforts and take measures to combat terrorism and dry up its sources, and to make confronting Takfiri terrorist organizations a common responsibility that requires all of us to join hands and cooperate to achieve security and peace in the world.

He went to say: Iraq is going forward to complete the consultations that were agreed upon through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Iraq and the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Guld, and that Iraq welcomes all the good initiatives by the GCC states to activate the strategic dialogue and the joint committees.

At the same time, Iraq looks forward to elevating a joint action plan in the future to the level of a full strategic agreement as a step to enhance cooperation in all fields that consolidate relations and enhance common interests. In addition to the importance of completing the electrical interconnection project and increasing cultural exchange, and scientific integration between Iraq and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to achieve sustainable social and economic development, in a way that helps countries to integrate effectively into the global economy in accordance with the principles of partnership and equality.

Adding that we are counting on this meeting to come as a continuation of our collective efforts to follow up the work of the committee emanating from the joint action plan, and to accomplish and conclude agreements and memoranda of understanding in various fields that are in the interest of our countries and peoples.

He affirmed Iraq’s endeavor to hold free and fair elections next month, which will witness international and regional monitoring to fulfill the aspirations of the Iraqi people. Explaining that Iraq’s foreign policy is based on firm constitutional principles. Noting that Iraq is very keen to establish strong relations based on the foundations of mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, and rejects interference in the internal affairs of Iraq, and on the consolidation of bonds of cooperation and closer factors of stability with our regional and international surroundings.