Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein Meets Representatives of Foreign and Arab Media Outlets in Paris
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, met on 25 October, 2024, at his residence in the French capital Paris, with a number of representatives of French and Arab media outlets.
During the meeting, the Minister reviewed the current developments in the region, stressing Iraq’s continued support for the Lebanese people across various areas, and emphasized that the main problem lies in the need for a ceasefire as the continuation of the war threatens the stability of the region.
The Minister explained that the attack on Palestine represents a violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and reflects non-compliance with UN resolutions and Security Council resolutions. In addition Minister Hussein expressed Iraq’s concern regarding the possibility of the war expanding from Lebanon to other countries, noting that Iraq seeks through its international contacts to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, and is working to spare its atmosphere from the conflict.
The Minister indicated that the communication is consistent between Iraq and the United States within the framework of the security agreement between the two countries, which includes joint commitments to protect Iraq. As well the Minister affirmed that the American side showed understanding of the need to distance Iraq from the conflict, and he underlined that the Iraqi government rejects the use of its airspace by any party to carry out attacks against other parties, stressing that Iraqi airspace is not a battlefield.
On the issue of Iraqis residing illegally in Europe, the Minister explained that negotiations are underway between Iraq and the European Union, and memorandums of understanding have been signed with countries including Germany, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands to coordinate the voluntary return of these people, stressing that these agreements do not include Iraqis residing legally, but rather relate to those who are illegally residing and wish to return.
Furthermore, Minister Hussein condemned the terrorist attack in Ankara, highlighting the strength of Iraqi-Turkish relations and their importance to both countries, despite the existence of some points of contention, which are being resolved through dialogue.
On the topic of hosting the refugees, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister indicated that Iraq hosts about 250,000 Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan Region under the supervision of the federal government, the regional government, and the Refugee Commission, adding that 70,000 of these Syrian refugees have entered the labor market in Iraq. The Minister also indicated that Iraq has received about 10,000 Lebanese who entered through Syria, describing them as “guests,” and affirming that Iraq is dealing with this issue from a humanitarian perspective, but does not encourage any demographic change in either Iraq or Lebanon.
The Minister ended the meeting by emphasizing Iraq’s solidarity with the Lebanese people, stressing that the Lebanese and Iraqi societies are component societies and any demographic change in them will affect their stability, additionally he affirmed the importance of maintaining demographic balance in both countries because of its direct impact on their stability.
