Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani held talks on Wednesday with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and senior Jordanian officials on his first visit outside Iraq, less than a month after he took office.
According to Al-Sudani's media office, the visit came at the invitation of the Jordanian King. Moreover, the office revealed that the Iraqi prime minister plans to make two visits soon to Kuwait and France.
“The king pointed out the importance of Iraq's role in its Arab surroundings and in the region, affirming that the security of Iraq is a cornerstone of regional security and stability,” the official Jordanian news agency Petra said.
According to Petra, the two sides highlighted the importance of promoting cooperation on several levels, especially in politics and economy.
During the talks, King Abdullah expressed best wishes of success for Al-Sudani, stressing keenness to enhance the strong ties between the two countries and peoples.
He also stressed the need to maintain bilateral cooperation with Iraq, and trilateral cooperation with Egypt, as an example of regional integration.
In addition, the two sides reaffirmed the need to maintain coordination and consultation on various issues of mutual concern, in the best interest of the two peoples and in service of Arab causes.
For his part, the Iraqi prime minister expressed his country’s keenness to maintain its distinguished level of relations and cooperation with Jordan in various fields, in the best interest of the two peoples and in service of regional stability and prosperity.
According to Petra, talks dealt with mechanisms for enhancing economic cooperation and completing joint projects between Jordan and Iraq. The agency stressed that Jordan and Iraq are keen on enhancing cooperation at all levels.
“The Iraqi government has an integrated vision for foreign relations. It stems from an important principle of reflecting foreign relations in a practical and tangible way in the interests of the Iraqis,” an Iraqi official who requested anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“Al-Sudani chose to start his tour in Jordan, because of Jordan’s importance to Iraq,” he noted, affirming the deep relations the two countries share.
“Foreign visits will soon include other Arab countries and a friendly country,” the official added.
The official government source stressed that “Al-Sudani’s government wants relations with brotherly and friendly countries to be based on the principle of balance and not to delve into the policy of axes.”
