Foreign Minister meets the French Foreign Minister in New York and confirms Iraq’s role of peace in the region  

 On the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), held in New York, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Catherine Colonna.

 The two sides discussed upgrading bilateral relations in various fields, and means to enhance the consultation and coordination between Baghdad and Paris. Minister Fuad Hussein extended his thanks to the French government for its supportive stances for Iraq in various fields.

 In terms of Iraqi internal affairs, the Minister briefed his French counterpart on the situation in Iraq and the movements of political powers in order to reach common solutions to hold the session of the Council of Representatives in the coming days, with the aim of forming a government.

 The two ministers also discussed a number of regional and international issues of common interest, emphasizing the need to work to reduce tension, achieve calm in the region, and to avoid escalation that would not serve any party. The two Ministers also touched upon the bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, their improvement in particular areas, and the two sides affirmed the need to continue the discussions already began in Baghdad, to advance solutions that would achieve security and stability and the process of cooperation to realise peace and development aspirations, emphasizing that Iraq plays the role of peace in the region.

 The two ministers also discussed the Russian-Ukrainian war and its impact on global food security, noting Iraq’s initiative to form the Arab Contact Group, which seeks to stop the war between the two sides. 

 For her part, the French Foreign Minister affirmed her government’s keenness on the stability of Iraq and full support for the national dialogue launched by the Iraqi government as it is the best solution to form a new government, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron’s keenness to hold the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership in its second round, to be held in Amman.