Foreign Ministry : The Prime Minister's visit to Paris includes recovering funds and returning the air route

INA-  BAGHDAD

Ministry of Foreign Affairs-MOFA clarified on Thursday, the objectives of the visit of Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani, who is heading a government delegation to the French capital, Paris.

 The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the Paris visit comes in the context of strengthening partnership, building on economic and investment opportunities, exchanging support in the fields of combating terrorism and extremism, and coordination at the bilateral and multi-level ties to support Iraq in various international aspects, with the aim of enabling the restoration of the Iraqi role and achieving initiatives that enhance balance and stability, in addition to enhancing joint work in the educational, cultural and banking sectors.

 Al-Sahhaf added, "The visit also comes in view of the continued international political support for Iraq by the French government, and the use of this distinguished relationship at the European level in the file of combating terrorism and extremist ideas, recovering smuggled funds, handing over wanted persons, and technical assistance in the file of returning the displaced."

 He pointed out, "Seeking to mobilize greater participation of French companies in the reconstruction programs in a more effective manner, in reconstruction programs exclusively within pre-determined projects, and trying to obtain political support to initiate the idea of enhancing cooperation in banking matters."

 He referred to "an attempt to obtain political support to urge the French aviation authority to complete the project within the plan to restore the direct air route Baghdad - Paris, and to lift the ban on Iraqi airlines, in addition to obtaining support for cooperation in the areas of combating corruption and recovering frozen funds and those wanted by the Iraqi judiciary and cooperation in the field of recovering smuggled antiquities, as well as cooperation with the French side in the field of preserving Iraqi property on French territory.

He continued, "Foreign policy is moving towards consecrating economic diplomacy and diversifying investment gates for Iraq, by relying on the highest levels of attraction and facilitation for the work of international companies and investors," explaining that "the visit of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani to Paris to confirm this."