Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein stressed today, Friday, the need to respect his country’s sovereignty and not to involve it in minority conflicts.
He added with the start of the fourth round of strategic dialogue with the United States, that his country appreciates the efforts made by the country.
He also made it clear that the Iraqi security forces still need the programs provided by the United States related to training, arming, equipping, and building capabilities, according to what was reported by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Hussein said that the government has pursued a path to support security and stability internally and at the regional level by relying on dialogue and taking joint opportunities to achieve this.
“Committed to the security of missions”
He also affirmed the commitment of the Government of Iraq to protect the personnel of diplomatic missions and its headquarters, noting that the United States is a key partner in the international coalition to fight ISIS, and added that the organization’s elements are still active and the bombing of Sadr City is evidence of that.
He said that Iraq needs to exchange information with the international coalition to continue confronting ISIS, noting that the organization still exists as an IDF organization. Wahhabism and militarism.
For his part, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said The US State Department, Anthony Blinken, said his country is proud of the partnership and the close relationship with Iraq, pointing out that it is based on mutual respect. He added that this partnership is broader than just confronting ISIS.
The US-Iraqi talks continued today as they touched upon the mission of the American soldiers deployed on Iraqi soil.
An official was received On Thursday, the International Affairs of the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) Mara Carlin, a delegation headed by Iraqi National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji, to discuss “long-term military cooperation” between the two countries, according to what Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
Al-Kazemi in the White House
Al-Kazemi had discussed with the White House envoy Brett McGurk, last week in Baghdad, the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
However, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Thursday that the Iraqi government “desires the United States and the coalition to continue training and assisting its army, and providing logistical support (and) exchanging information.”
The dialogue is supposed to lead The strategic alliance between Baghdad and Washington to set a timetable for the withdrawal of the international coalition that is fighting ISIS.
It is noteworthy that there are still about 3,500 foreign soldiers on Iraqi soil, including 2,500
The third round of dialogue was concluded last April, and the two sides described it at the time as very successful, while the first round of the strategic dialogue was launched in June 2020.
While the White House announced last week, the resumption of the fourth round of strategic dialogue with Iraq on the 24th of this month.
Iraq is linked with the United States, through an agreement called the Strategic Framework, which was signed in 2008, which regulates the nature of the relationship between the two countries at the levels of cooperation and support in the fields of security, economy and development.
