Iraqi government issues statement on developments in Syria

Baghdad-INA 

The Iraqi government issued an official statement on developments in Syria today, Sunday, stressing the need to respect the free will of all Syrians, and the importance of Syria's security, territorial integrity, and maintaining its independence.
 
The spokesman for the Iraqi government, Bassem Al-Awadi, stated in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the Iraqi government is following the developments in the situation in Syria, and is continuing international contacts with sisterly and friendly countries, in order to push efforts towards stability, and preserve security, public order, lives and property for the brotherly Syrian people."
 
Al-Awadi added, "Iraq stresses the need to respect the free will of all Syrians, and stresses that Syria's security, territorial integrity, and maintaining its independence are of utmost importance, not only for Iraq, but also for its connection to the security and stability of the region."
 
He added that "the Iraqi government supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue that includes the Syrian arena with all its sects and trends, and in accordance with what the interests of the brotherly Syrian people require, leading to the adoption of a pluralistic constitution that preserves the human and civil rights of Syrians, and supports the cultural and religious diversity enjoyed by the generous Syrian people, and the necessity of preserving this diversity that represents a source of wealth for Syria, without prejudice or neglecting it."
 
Al-Awadi noted that "we reiterate the importance of not interfering in the internal affairs of Syria, or supporting one party in favor of another, as interference will only push the situation in Syria towards more conflict and division, and the first to be harmed will be the Syrian people, and this is something that Iraq does not accept for a brotherly, independent and sovereign country, and is linked to our Iraqi people by ties of brotherhood, history, blood and religion."