Arab countries reiterate support for Iraq from the shores of the Dead Sea
Shafaq News/ Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zeyani said that his country endorses all the efforts aiming to attain security and stability in Iraq, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad al-BourSaidi, called for finding common "regional and international" ground to achieve development.
Leaders from the Middle East and Europe gathered in Jordan Tuesday in a conference focused on bolstering security and stability in Iraq.
The meeting included high-level officials from regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, along with leaders from France, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the European Union. The countries said the goal was to show "support for Iraq, its sovereignty, security, and stability, as well as its political process, its economic and development progress, and its efforts to rebuild."
Tuesday’s gathering was held as a follow-up to the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership convened in Iraq last year with France co-organizing. Paris has taken an increasingly active role in the region in recent years, with President Emmanuel Macron also attempting to intervene to resolve the political crisis in Lebanon.
"We support the efforts of all the countries seeking stability and security in Iraq and contributing to its economic advancement," the diplomat said, "Bahrain is very keen on strengthening cooperation with Iraq and restoring its role in the region."
"Iraq's security is a fundamental pillar of stability in the region. We reject any external interference in Iraq's internal affairs," he added.
"The power interconnection will have a great economic impact on Iraq and the countries of the region. We seek to enhance joint economic cooperation in a way that brings prosperity to our people," said al-Zeyani.
Iraq’s stability and security have been shaken for decades by internal and external conflicts. The 2003 U.S.-led invasion led to years of intense violence and sectarian strife, including the creation of the Islamic State extremist group and the empowerment of Iran-backed political factions and militias.
More recently, the country has been paralyzed by political gridlock, with the main dividing line running between Iran’s allies and opponents. Recently, Baghdad has attempted to assume the role of mediator between Iran and Saudi Arabia. But a series of talks between the two in Iraq have come to a halt, with Tehran reportedly accusing the kingdom of inciting protests in Iran.
Oman's al-BourSaidi called for "finding common regional and international ground to achieve development in Iraq", reiterating his country's endorsement for Iraq's aspirations.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said that the kingdom "affirms its total rejection of any aggression on the territory of Iraq," an apparent swipe at Iran, which has recently launched airstrikes against Kurdish Iranian dissident groups in northern Iraq.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, chief of the Arab League, called for Baghdad to be left out of regional rivalries, saying that "Iraq should not be an arena for conflict or settling scores."
