Foreign Minister: Iraq pursues a policy of dialogue and a convergence of views between the parties

Foreign Minister Mr. Fuad Hussein concluded his visit to Vienna by meeting Arab ambassadors and representative of diplomatic missions accredited to Austria. During the meeting, the overall situation in the region and the world and cooperation in the fight against terrorism were reviewed.

Mr. Hussein stressed the importance of coordination and cooperation among all Arab countries. To face the challenges the region is going through, noting that Iraq fought a war in defense of itself and on behalf of the whole world, and looks forward to supporting the countries of the world; to eliminate the remnants of the terrorist organization of ISIS, and to prevent its return. Explaining that Iraq is a country rich in multiple wealth, but it is going through exceptional circumstances represented by the economic challenge, low oil prices, and the cost of the war against ISIS terrorist gangs, indicating that the great victories achieved by the army, the police and the Popular Mobilization, and the Peshmerga are a source of pride for Iraq and for all nations and peoples of the region, and the world. Noting that holding Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership is a victory against ISIS, corruption and it is a switching to an approach of cooperation and seeking common interests.

He reviewed the stage of political changes in Iraq and the transition from a centralized totalitarian system to a free democratic system, where the process of change faced many difficulties and problems by local, international, and regional actors as a result of the different positions between rejection and acceptance of the political reality that Iraq has gone through, because the process of democratization in Iraq, which was welcomed by some countries such as America and the European Union, was rejected by other regional countries. 

He also stressed that these positions had repercussions on the Iraqi interior, confusing the security situation and stability not only in Iraq, but in the entire region extending from Syria through Iraq, and Yemen, all the way to Afghanistan, as a result of the work of some parties to facilitate the entry members of extremist terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Iraq is the most affected by terrorism and rampant corruption, which made the Iraqis resolutely confront this fierce attack by uniting to fight “ISIS” in cooperation with the International Coalition Forces, in addition to the Iraqi government controlling the borders as much as possible, and asking neighboring countries to prevent the movement of terrorists across their borders to Iraq, where a long way has been made. In this war, Iraq is on its way to recovery in the matter of achieving full security and stability within new strategies and readings to confront security challenges and the challenges of corruption.

He added that Iraq is currently adopting a policy of shifting from the stage of fighting to the stage of dialogue, to play its real role in converging the views between regional parties such as Suadi Arabia and Iran as well as international parties such as America and Iran, which the Iraqi government considers a key part of the solution to achieve security and stability in Iraq and the region in general.

Mr. Hussein touched on the holding of the Iraqi elections on their scheduled date on 10/10/2021, and working to ensure their integrity because of its importance and direct reflection on the general local and regional situation, with the participation of the United Nations, the European Union, as well as the Arab League in its monitoring to ensure integrity and transparency.

The Minister made it clear that Iraq is working to smooth the tense relations by opening channels for constructive dialogue to bring together the views between the parties in the Middle East.