Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein gives lecture and stresses the importance of restoring the decision to Baghdad,indicating that foreign policy is a reflection of inside Iraq, and stated the most important challenges and opportunities to achieve balanced diplomacy and strategic partnerships

Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein gave a lecture titled “Iraqi Foreign Policy – Challenges and Opportunities”.

This came during a lecture hosted by Al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies, where the Minister was received by the Iraqi National Security Adviser, Mr. Qassem Al-Araji and the advisory and administrative team at the centre as well as the participation of scientific, academic and strategic figures.

The Foreign Minister referred to a number of challenges facing the makers and implementers of foreign policy, including independence of national decision-making and axes of conflict as well as the challenge of the economy and security.

Minister Fuad Hussein stressed the need to preserve the independence of the national decision in according to the constitution and political consultations that reflect the unity of vision towards the most important issues.

Minister Fuad Hussein also noted that foreign policy is a reflection of the unity of national decisions and positions, calling for a realistic consideration of the challenges facing the country.

Concerning opportunities, the Foreign Minister stated that the Ministry adopts the principle of balance, multiple partnerships, and openness to all parties within the framework of awareness of the constitution and the laws in force, indicating that the principles of good neighborliness, culture, history and others that are stable in Iraq’s relationship with its neighbors are all subject to dependence in our discourse and our discussions with our neighbours and building on the changes is considered realistic, and advances the executor of foreign policy to adopt national interests and build them.

Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein explained that the priority area starts with neighbouring countries, then the Gulf states, to include all of Iraq’s partners and friends in US, Europe, Asia and other groups.

When mentioning the nature of relations between Baghdad and Washington, the Minister stated that we will ask the new US administration to continue the meetings of the strategic dialogue and identify the new negotiating team on their side, to discuss security and military issues related to the presence of US forces in Iraq, and commented that the number of forces after it was 5,200 military personnel has become 2,500 members, and this is one of the outcomes of the first and second round of strategic dialogue.

The Foreign Minister affirmed that Iraq is continuing to fulfill its commitments with its partners in a framework of sustainability and national interest and not otherwise, expressing a commitment to pragmatism and clarity as two ways to gain the confidence of the people and friends of Iraq.