Foreign Minister Al-Jaafari and Lebanese Counterpart Hold Press Conference in Beirut

Iraq Prime Minister's Media Office
خميس, أكتوبر 18, 2018

18.10.2018

Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari and his Lebanese counterpart, Mr. Gibran Bassil, held a press conference in Beirut on bilateral relations and reviewed the developments in the Arab, regional and international region.

Dr. Al- Jaafari stressed at the conference that Iraq is taking excellent steps towards integration, after Iraq managed to defeat terrorism. Stating that there were a number of basic elements that are similar to the experience of Lebanon. The popular crowd was a prominent and fundamental point. From conventional wars to new unconventional wars and crossing to the opposite side and victory over it, like what you have – Hezbollah- in Lebanon, which is not a traditional group, so it won a victory in the resistance in Lebanon and was able to win and contribute to the establishment of security.

Minister Al-Jaafari added that the world stood by Iraq when it saw the Iraqi people united and the military united. So the voice of the world rang out in the United Nations. The Arab countries in the Arab League stood by Iraq and its voice was heard nationally, regionally and internationally.

The minister pointed out that reconstruction is open to all friendly countries in which it can contribute, especially as Lebanon is a sister country and has its companies and potentials and the market is open to take its role and share in reconstruction.

Minister also pointed to the existence of complaints and demands for Iraqi funds spotted here in Lebanon and hoped that the government will show a good understanding and deal with them according to mutual right.

On his part, the Lebanese Foreign Minister pointed out that Iraq and Lebanon are not neighboring countries in geography, but they are adjacent in thought, culture and civilization stressing that both have a lot of diversity and the ability to communicate, as a result of their accumulated cultures and that the dialogue was used on all the problems they face, pointing out that this is the main reason why Lebanon and Iraq overcome extremism, and Daesh that tried to penetrate the society.

The Lebanese Minister added: "We worked with Iraq in all international and Arab forums, and we were in constant coordination, and the positions were identical, and this is a real source of strength for our two countries and our Arab world. We started talking and we will complete it on bilateral relations. God willing, soon the border between Syria and Iraq will give us more economic oxygen. We need to move from confronting extremism to economic prosperity. We believe that integration should be between Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and the entire region, and continued: I hope on the bilateral level between Lebanon and Iraq in the next stage to have a government in Lebanon and a government in Iraq, and move to economic relations and do and benefit from them to enrich our two countries with our capabilities.


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