MOFA: Iraq's aspiration to hold Association Council meeting with EU

INA – Baghdad
 
Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein announced that Iraq is looking forward to holding the Association Council meeting with the European Union.
 
The Council of Foreign Affairs of the European Union hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss the files of partnership and cooperation between Iraq and the European Union countries in addition to the political situation in Iraq and the region, said the media office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
 
At the beginning of the speech and during his meeting with his counterparts in the European Union countries, Hussein presented thanks to the European Union for its interest and serious contributions in supporting political stability in Iraq, and holding free and fair elections, to achieve good governance and sustainable economic and social development.
 
According to the statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs praised, "the great efforts made by the member states of the European Union to provide types of support to the international coalition to combat ISIS terrorist gangs," stressing "Iraq's aspiration to the need for continued European support to eliminate the remnants of terrorism, and to achieve stability and reconstruction in all parts of Iraq,”
 
Hussein presented a summary of the latest developments in the political situation in Iraq, efforts to hold early parliamentary elections that are scheduled to take place next October, and “Iraq's position on regional tensions as well as the movement that Iraqi diplomacy is conducting to ease existing crises,"
 
He noted “the utmost importance that Iraq attaches to partnership and cooperation with the European Union countries and the steps taken to implement the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the two sides,” adding, “the progress made in implementing the agreement, including the completion of meetings of sub-committees, including the Human Rights and Democracy Committee, the Trade and Investment Committee, and the Energy Committee and transportation,”
 
For their part, the foreign ministers of the member states of the European Union affirmed during their interventions their "unlimited support for Iraq at all levels, including holding early parliamentary elections, and sending a European election observation mission at the request of the Iraqi government,"