Iraqi FM reviews bilateral ties with US State Secretary

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, discussed on Tuesday prospects for cooperation with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in Washington, D.C. as part of a series of meetings held with senior US officials.

In a brief press statement, Blinken stressed his aspiration for the visit of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to Washington to meet with the US President, Joe Biden, in the coming weeks, and the upcoming meeting of the Higher Coordinating Committee, which is an important part of the strategic framework agreement that guides the comprehensive relationship between the two countries, according to a statement released by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The US Secretary of State reaffirmed Iraq’s importance as a regional partner to maintain stability in the region, noting that ISIS still poses a real threat in light of the recent incident that took place in Moscow a few days ago.

The two sides underlined the significance of cooperative efforts to combat ISIS and enhance the capabilities of Iraqi forces while reviewing the role of the international coalition to fight ISIS, evaluating the situation in Syria, talking about tactics to deal with Al-Hol camp, and discussing the ongoing work of the Higher Military Committee (HMC).

Hussein and Blinken emphasized the significance of keeping the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in communication about important matters, such as the budget and economy, the pipeline for oil export through Turkey, and the Yazidis situation in Sinjar.

The meeting also addressed the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), developments in Iraqi ties with the Gulf states, particularly Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations, and the significance of maintaining strong relations between the two countries.