The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, today received his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, at the Ministry's head office to study the evolution of the conflict in the Middle East, the recent ceasefire in Lebanon, as well as Iraq's mediation efforts to contain the regional escalation. The ministers also pledged to boost bilateral relations and the presence of Spanish companies in Iraq.
The meeting took place within the framework of Mohamed Shia' Al Sudani's trip to Spain, the first visit by an Iraqi prime minister to Spain. For Minister Albares, however, today's meeting is the third meeting in 2024 with his Iraqi counterpart after the meeting on the fringes of the NATO Summit in July and his trip to Baghdad in January.
As on previous occasions, the Middle East conflict has been at the centre of the debates. Albares acknowledged Iraq's role in mediation thanks to its longstanding relationship with all regional actors, in particular Iran, key to containing regional escalation. They also discussed the ceasefire in Lebanon, the need for continued support for UNRWA, and the two-state solution as a way to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Bilateral relations
The ministers pledged to boost bilateral and economic relations. Spain appreciates the Iraqi government's efforts to open channels for a greater presence of Spanish companies in the country. In this respect, the agreement on financial cooperation, signed yesterday between the two countries, will further facilitate bilateral exchanges.
Moreover, Albares reminded his counterpart that Spain is firmly committed to Iraq's sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity. And that is why, within the International Coalition against Daesh, we are the main contributor to the NATO Training Mission, with 156 military personnel deployed in the country to fight terrorism and reinforce Iraqi security forces.
Non official translation
