Criticisms against foreign ministry unjustifiable – official

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Head of the Kurdistan Alliance bloc, Fouad Maasoum, called for not criticizing the foreign ministry’s performance after the recent crisis with Syria, considering these criticisms as unjustifiable. “The performance of the foreign ministry during the past years proved efficiency and ability and the recent criticisms against it are unjustifiable,” Maasoum told Iraqi News. He praised the foreign ministry and its performance, mainly as Iraq’s relations with other Arab neighboring countries have witnessed great development in the past years. He called the political blocs to support the Iraqi governments and its institutions and its way in dealing with the international files. Relations between Iraq and Syria deteriorated after Baghdad alleged that Damascus was harboring leaders behind one of two devastating truck bombings that killed 95 people and wounded about 600 in the Iraqi capital on August 19. Earlier this week, Iraq recalled its ambassador in Damascus and Syria retaliated within hours by ordering back its envoy from Baghdad. SH (P) 1