Saudi Arabia plans to write off Iraq's debts, resume direct flights between two countries

Saudi Arabia intends to write off debts owed by Iraq to the kingdom resume direct flights between the two countries, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said on Thursday.

During a meeting between Jubeir and his Iraqi counterpart Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, the top Saudi diplomat said that the latest Iraqi visit to Riyadh, which was headed by the undersecretary of the Iraqi foreign ministry, served to activate coalition between the two countries, according to the Iraqi foreign minister’s official website.

The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of a meeting for the “International Coalition Against the Islamic State” (Daesh) in Washington, D.C.

Al-Jubeir revealed Riyadh’s intention to cancel previous debts owed by Iraq, without mentioning the volume of these debts.

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He added that the Kingdom intends to resume direct flights between Riyadh and Baghdad and Riyadh and Najaf in the context of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

On his part, Jaafari said that his country is still in need of financial support and humanitarian aid, and it will need to reconstruct the infrastructure of Iraqi cities after their complete liberation from the Islamic State’s grip.

In the same context, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, Abbas El-Bayati, told Anadolu Agency that Iraqi-Saudi relations have seen a significant improvement over the past weeks, especially after Jubair’s visit to Iraq.

Al-Bayati said that during the Iraqi delegation’s visit to Riyadh, the issue of the resumption of direct flights between the two countries was discussed. He expects it to be put into force soon.

Iraqi Saudi relations had witnessed tensions after Baghdad submitted a request to Riyadh, last August, demanding the replacement of Saudi ambassador, Thamer Al-Sobhan, who was accused by Baghdad of “interference in internal Iraqi affairs.” Last moght, Jubair visited Baghdad in what observers saw as an attempt by Saudi Arabia to counterbalance the Iranian influence on Iraq.