French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi emphasized the importance of cooperation in combating terrorism on Saturday, ahead of the opening of the Baghdad Summit for "Cooperation and Partnership." The leaders' statements were made during a press conference held in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which Macron arrived at on Friday evening to participate in the anticipated summit.
Participating in the summit, in addition to Iraq and France, are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, and the Arab League, along with the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as announced by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. The summit aims to enhance Iraq's relations with its Arab and regional surroundings, as well as to ease diplomatic tensions in the region.
Macron stated that "there should be no laxity" in the face of terrorists, affirming that the ISIS organization "still poses a threat." He added, "We are committed to partnership with Iraq in the fight against terrorism," confirming that Paris supports Baghdad in rebuilding the areas liberated from ISIS. He noted that France encourages the Iraqi government in its efforts to support displaced persons, stressing that "Iraq's stability can be achieved through fair and transparent elections."
For his part, Al-Kadhimi stated, "Iraq and France are key partners in fighting terrorism, and we appreciate the French role in supporting Iraq in combating terrorism, whether directly or through France's presence in the international coalition. We aspire to greater cooperation in intelligence and security fields."
He continued, "We see great prospects for the relationship between the two countries and seek to develop it and benefit from French expertise in oil, electricity, transport, military industries, and more. We hope that discussions between the relevant parties in both countries will urgently result in cooperation and agreements that are implemented on the ground for the service of our people." He expressed Iraq's serious desire to deepen cultural relations with France, saying, "We seek to expand in this area and benefit from bilateral expertise and broaden their exchange between the two countries."
