Egypt finmin arrives in Baghdad to discuss supporting Iraq in terrorism fight

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on a one day visit Saturday for several meetings with Iraqi leaders, Egypt’s foreign ministry said in an official statement.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Shoukry would hold meetings with his Iraqi counterpart, Ibrahim Gaafari, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider El-Abadi. He is also set to meet Iraqi Parliament Speaker Amaar Al-Hakim.

Abu Zeid added that Shoukry’s visit to Baghdad, the third of its kind, aims to provide support to Iraq at an important time when it is confrontating terrorism.

He added that the visit also aims to support and promote bilateral relations in several fields of mutual interest, including promoting Iraq’s role in the Arab sphere, especially in cases that call for the unity of Arabs in facing challenges surrounding the Arab region.

Egypt has repeatedly called for preserving the unity of Iraq by entrenching national unity during the war-torn country’s fight with the Islamic State group, which has been battling Iraqi forces for control of several parts of the country.

Egypt has praised steps taken by the Iraqi government and armed forces to fight terrorism, the latest being the retaking of Fallujah in June, once an Islamic State group bastion.

source: Ahram Online