Cairo: Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel-Aty, to discuss the arrangements for the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zubaidi to Egypt, as well as the potential for a trilateral summit involving Iraq, Egypt, and Jordan. This meeting took place alongside the 166th regular session of the Council of the League of Arab States at the ministerial level, held in Cairo.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement detailing the meeting, which included the presence of Iraq’s Ambassador to Egypt, Qahtan Taha Khalaf, and Osama Mahdi Ghanem, Head of the Arab Department. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and reviewing the visit’s arrangements, with an emphasis on the possibility of holding a trilateral summit after the Iraqi-Egyptian bilateral summit.
Both ministers emphasized the importance of convening meetings of the joint committee between Iraq and Egypt during the Prime Minister’s visit. This initiative aims to enhance joint cooperation frameworks and follow up on previously agreed matters. The discussions also highlighted the need for continued collaboration on electricity interconnection projects and identifying viable projects with clear priorities.
The statement further explained that facilitating the issuance of entry visas between Iraq and Egypt was addressed, aimed at enhancing the movement of citizens and businesspeople, thus fostering economic, trade, and tourism cooperation. Additionally, the ministers discussed the escalating regional tensions and their negative impacts on maritime navigation, trade, and regional economies.
Fuad Hussein pointed out the potential negative repercussions of the ongoing situation and regional escalations on the economies and stability of the affected countries. The ministers underscored the importance of prioritizing dialogue and diplomacy to resolve disputes through peaceful means, which would contribute to reducing tensions and consolidating regional security and stability.