Mawazine News
The Iraqi government spokesman, Bassem Al-Awadi, confirmed today, Tuesday, that US President Joe Biden’s invitation to Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani to visit Washington confirms the independence of the Prime Minister’s approach to domestic and foreign policies and the high international appreciation he enjoys, pointing out that the upcoming meeting Between the two presidents, it will culminate in a policy of respecting mutual interests and deepening mutual understanding.
Al-Awadi told the official agency, followed by Mawazine News, that “There is no doubt that the way US President Joe Biden was invited by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani to visit Washington indicates the amount of respect for the person of the Prime Minister and the amount of Iraqi independence.”
He added, “It was possible to arrange a meeting between the two leaderships on the sidelines of the General Assembly meetings in New York, but the status of Iraq and the presidency of its government cannot be reduced to meetings on the margins of meetings, especially since it is the first meeting between the American and Iraqi presidencies.”
He continued, “It can be concluded that the political circumstances after ten months of the Prime Minister’s government and the internal steps it took have created a suitable ground for the two parties based on an accurate understanding of each of them, and therefore a meeting is necessary to complete the process of cooperation and understanding between Baghdad and Washington.”
Al-Awadi stressed, “The invitation is also an affirmation of the independence of the Prime Minister’s approach to domestic and foreign policies, which has become the subject of international and regional appreciation for his person, and an affirmation that major meetings at this level cannot be for the sake of meeting or taking memorial photos if they take place in an urgent manner. The American and Iraqi leaderships have sufficient time to demonstrate good intentions, study the other party’s policy, and prepare a suitable ground for understanding and developing bilateral relations, and that the next meeting will be the culmination of a policy of respect, mutual interests, and deepening understanding between Baghdad and Washington.”
Earlier, today, Tuesday, Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani received an official invitation from President Joe Biden to visit the White House.
A statement by the Prime Minister’s Media Office stated, “Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani met in New York with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, on the sidelines of his participation in the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session.”
He added, “The American minister conveyed President Joseph Biden’s invitation to the Sudanese to visit the White House in order to further discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.”
The Prime Minister affirmed his appreciation for the invitation and his readiness to respond to it at a date to be determined later, stressing the importance of resuming the work of the joint Iraqi-American committee, with regard to the strategic framework agreement between the two countries.
He pointed to “a number of important milestones for bilateral cooperation, the successful visit made by the Iraqi delegation headed by the Minister of Defense to Washington, and discussions regarding the relationship with the international coalition to combat terrorism.”
Al-Sudani stated, “Iraq’s desire to develop partnership relations with the United States in the areas of confronting the effects of climate change and investing in the energy sector, welcoming the contribution of American companies to investment opportunities in Iraq.”
He stressed “the importance of joint cooperation in the security field to fight ISIS, in light of the growing capabilities and combat capabilities of the Iraqi security forces and their capabilities to maintain security throughout Iraq.”
For his part, Minister Blinken indicated, “The US administration’s appreciation for the practical steps taken by Iraq in order to diversify energy sources, optimally invest in gas, and achieve self-sufficiency by signing contracts with Total, and electrical interconnection with neighboring countries.”
He stressed, “The United States is keen to cooperate with Iraq in the issues of confronting the effects of climate change, developing infrastructure, and expanding the partnership in various fields,” reiterating “the United States’ support for Iraq’s stability, development, and prosperity.” Ended 29/M99
