Malaysia to reopen its embassy in Iraq
The flag of Malaysia. Photo: Berger Paints
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, welcomed on Wednesday Malaysia’s decision to reopen its embassy in Iraq, according to the state news agency (INA).
“We welcomed the Malaysian government’s decision to reopen its country’s embassy in Iraq during the meeting that brought me together with the Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zambry bin Abdul Kadir, on the sidelines of the ministerial meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku,” Hussein said via Twitter.
“We also discussed ways to promote bilateral relations between the two countries,” the Iraqi Foreign Minister added.
Malaysia shut down its embassy in Baghdad in March 2003, during the US invasion of Iraq.
According to Malaysian media outlets, many Malaysians were interested in forging business links in Iraq and had made enquiries at the Iraqi embassy here. Nevertheless, they hesitated or put a stop to their plans when they learned that the Malaysian embassy had been closed for many years.
Re-opening the embassy could help facilitate many different levels of ties and links between Iraq and Malaysia and between the people of the two Muslim countries, especially in fields of trade, investment, education, tourism and culture.
The Malaysian embassy in neighboring Jordan was in charge of Malaysia’s interests in Iraq during the past few years.
Iraq mainly exports oil to Malaysia. Iraq imports mainly medical-related products and equipment, palm oil and electronic products from Malaysia.
Iraq opened its embassy in Kuala Lumpur in the mid-1970s.