Relations ‘excellent’
The new foreign minister of Iraq Fuad Hussein Thursday underlined his country’s commitment to continue on the path of developing good relations with Kuwait and other Gulf countries.
“We have good relations with Gulf countries and we want to continue this,” he told a press conference in the Brussels Press Club Thursday.
Hussein noted that the first foreign minister to visit Baghdad when he was appointed was from Kuwait followed by the Saudi foreign minister, and an Iraqi delegation visited Kuwait and Riyadh recently.
“We have an excellent relationship and we are also cooperating on how to face the COVID-19,” he said.
There is support from Kuwait, from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to the Iraqi health sector, he added.
On his first official visit to Europe as the Iraqi foreign minister, Hussein said he started his trip from Berlin, then to Brussels and from then will go to Paris. Germany holds the current EU Presidency.
“It is important for us to inform our European colleagues, friends and the public opinion about what is going on in Iraq and the region,” he said.
Wednesday, the Iraqi foreign minister met NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as well as EU High Representative Josep Borrell and EU parliamentarians and later Thursday he will meet with the Belgian foreign minister.
He said that NATO can play an important role by training the Iraqi forces and discussions about ties with the Alliance will continue.
He said that Iraq is facing several challenges including the COVID-19 crisis and collapse of the oil prices. (KUNA)