Iraq seeks restoring relations with Saudi Arabia, insists PM

Iraq seeks re-build “balanced” relations with Saudi Arabia, Iraqi Prime Minster Haider Al-Abadi said on Tuesday.

Al-Abadi’s remarks came during a press conference following the cabinet’s weekly meeting held in Iraq’s southern province of Wasit, during which he praised the Iraqi forces’ prominent role in hindering Daesh from reaching to the Gulf States.

The Iraqi leader expressed that his government welcomes the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir’s recent visit to Baghdad, describing it as a “positive step” towards restoring close relations between the two Arab nations. He stressed that the brotherly countries would work closely on various levels and areas.

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The Prime Minister said that he felt the desire from the kingdom to improve ties between the two countries, noting that the relations are based on the “shared interests”. He pointed out that the two countries would work together to returning peace and prosperity in the region.

On Saturday, the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir made a rare visit to Baghdad, which was the first official visit by a Saudi foreign minister since the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and the first high-level visit since the 2003 US-led invasion, during which he met with the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari.

Al-Jubeir believed the visit was a chance “to build excellent relations between the two brotherly countries. There are also many shared interests, from fighting extremism and terrorism [to] opportunities for investment and trade.”