Iraq plays the role of peace in the region, says FM Hussein

INA - BAGHDAD 

Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein stressed on Monday, during his meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna in New York, that Iraq plays the role of peace in the region.

Hussein met Colonna on the sidelines of the work of the United Nations General Assembly at its 77th session held in New York. The two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations in various fields, as well as ways to enhance consultation and coordination between Baghdad and Paris. 

FM Hussein expressed his thanks to the French government for its supportive stances to Iraq in various fields.

The minister briefed his French counterpart on the situation in Iraq and the movement it is witnessing by the political forces in order to reach common solutions to hold a parliamentary session in the coming days, with the aim of forming a government. 

The two ministers touched on a number of regional and international issues of common interest, stressing the need to work on reducing tension and achieve calm in the region, and "to avoid escalation that would not serve any party."

Both discussed the bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their improvement in certain areas, as they stressed the need to continue the discussions that began in Baghdad, in addition to advance solutions that would achieve security and stability, amd the process of cooperation to be advanced to achieve peace and development aspirations, stressing that "Iraq plays the role of peace in the region."

They also discussed the Russian-Ukrainian war and its impact on global food security, noting Iraq's initiative in forming the Arab Contact Group, which seeks to stop the war between the two sides.

For her part, the French Foreign Minister affirmed her government's keenness on the stability of Iraq, stressing France's full support for the national dialogue launched by the Iraqi government because it is the best solution to form a new government, pointing to French President Emmanuel Macron's keenness to hold Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership in its second edition, to be held in Amman.