The Foreign Minister appreciates Austria’s supportive stances from Vienna and calls on it to reopen its Embassy in Baghdad

Baghdad Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein met yesterday evening, Tuesday, with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in the capital, Vienna; to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two friendly countries. The two sides also reviewed the overall developments throughout the region, and the need to intensify dialogue, efforts, and cooperation; to eliminate terrorism and restore security and stability to the region.

A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “they also discussed Iraq’s active role in bringing the views of regional neighbors closer to resolving some problems of common interest, and moving from the stage of differences to the stage of economic cooperation and partnerships in a way that serves security and stability in Iraq and the region, and they also touched upon the efforts of the Iraqi government and its quiet diplomacy in The Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership which was held on 08/28/2021, in which the participants emphasized support for Iraq politically, economically, and security, and non-interference in its internal affairs.

The Austrian Minister praised the important and pioneering role of Iraqi diplomacy in the region and the importance of the continuity of this role for security and joint action in the region. He stressed that Austria, within the European Union, strongly supports this role.

Minister Fouad Hussein stressed that Iraq’s foreign policy is based on balance in its relations with its external environment, and Iraq was able to establish a platform and tools for dialogue, and Baghdad has turned into a center for communication and positive interaction, noting that the government is making all efforts to develop the economy and multiply financial resources through revitalizing the agricultural and industrial sectors and tourism.

The two sides also discussed holding the upcoming Iraqi elections under international and European monitoring, and the need for cooperation and exchange of experiences in the security field to confront ISIS terrorist cells in Iraq. They also discussed the issue of migration and Iraqi immigrants and the Iraqi government’s measures in this aspect.

Minister Hussein expressed Iraq’s keenness on bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of the two friendly countries, in addition to strengthening coordination mechanisms and political consultation on regional and international issues of common concern, and resuming the meetings of the Iraqi-Austrian joint committee as a framework for activating bilateral cooperation between Baghdad and Vienna.

The Minister valued Austria’s supportive stances for Iraq in various fields, including: within the framework of the international and humanitarian coalition, and their contribution to the reconstruction of liberated cities, calling for the reopening of the Austrian embassy in Baghdad.

For his part, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg expressed his country’s aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations with Iraq and achieve a qualitative leap in cooperation between the two countries, expressing his country’s readiness to support Iraq in achieving security, stability and reconstruction.

 

Source: National Iraqi News Agency