Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein met his Bahraini counterpart Abdul Latif Al-Zayani, on the sidelines of the joint ministerial meeting of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf held in Riyadh.
Hussein stressed, according to a statement by the ministry, the importance of strengthening aspects of bilateral relations by diversifying consultation frameworks to contribute to achieving the aspirations of Baghdad and Manama, and raising the pace of bilateral cooperation for the overall ongoing efforts, at various political, economic, health, and development levels.
He called for holding the meetings of the joint committee as soon as possible, and activating the memorandum of understanding in political consultations. He pointed out that national security is related to the security of the region, and its repercussions are reflected on it.
Hussein expressed Iraq’s readiness to raise the level of diplomatic representation and overcome all obstacles, calling for fruitful bilateral cooperation in international forums, stressing the importance of re-examining the technical agreements concluded between the two countries on education, tourism, and investment to activate the joint cooperation between the two countries.
He indicated that: Iraq pursues a policy of balance in its relations, especially with neighboring countries, and its positions on the issues of the region, stressing that: The Iraqi government aspires to establish the best strategic relations firmly established with the Gulf States in accordance with the principle of activating common interests.
For his part, the Bahraini Foreign Minister affirmed the Kingdom’s and the King’s interest in strengthening relations with Iraq, pointing to his country’s interest in the stability of the security situation in Iraq because of its positive impact on stability in the region, noting: “The security of Iraq is our security, and we care about its unity and prosperity.”
He said, “We are interested in seeing a prosperous Iraq, and we are interested in extending bridges of cooperation in various fields.”
He added, “Bahrain supports Iraq in all international forums for its return to its position in the region, and we are pleased with the results of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency