Lebanon’s Aoun arrives in Iraq to discuss extradition file with Iraqi officials

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – Lebanese President Michel Aoun started on Tuesday a one-day official visit to Iraq, during which he will hold talks with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Masum, as well as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Salim al-Jabouri.

Quoting Lebanese sources, Baghdad Today news website said, “the extradition of two dangerous criminals, who are now held in Lebanon and still wanted on terror charges in Iraq, will top Aoun’s talks with Iraqi officials.”

“The two wanted criminals are Lebanese Maan Bashour, who was found guilty of recruiting youth to fight in Iraq, and senior Islamic State leader Abu Jaafar al-Iraqi, who was convicted of planning terrorist attacks in Iraq,” the sources noted.

The Lebanese president will also discuss with Iraqi officials ways of “strengthening military cooperation and exchanging military expertise between Baghdad and Beirut, particularly in the fields of mine clearance, chemical weapons, and street fighting,” the sources said.

The talks will also focus on issues of mutual concern at the diplomatic and economic levels, and efforts exerted to solve problems facing the tourism sector in the two countries, the sources added.

Aoun’s visit to Iraq comes at an invitation from Iraqi President Fuad Masum.

After ending his Iraqi visit, Aoun will fly to Armenia to start a two-day visit to the Asian country at an invitation from its president Serzh Sargsyan.