Baghdad, Riyadh to launch ‘coordination council’

By Ahmed al-Masri

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Baghdad and Riyadh have agreed to establish a “coordination council” with a view to upgrading bilateral relations to a “strategic level”, according to a joint Saudi-Iraqi statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement, released at the end of Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi's visit to Saudi Arabia, stressed the importance of holding regular meetings between officials of the two countries.

According to the statement, the two states hope to open a “new page of cooperation in various fields, activate partnerships between their respective private sectors, and follow up on the implementation of earlier agreements with a view to achieving common objectives”.

The two sides also condemned “all acts that infringe on the security and stability of our two countries and the region”, stressing the need to reject “the spirit of hatred, violence and sectarian strife”.

They also emphasized the importance of “drying up sources of terrorism financing”, while also reiterating their commitment to combating terrorist groups, “especially the Daesh terrorist organization”.

In the same statement, al-Abadi expressed Baghdad’s deep appreciation for ongoing Saudi efforts to help rebuild war-torn Iraq.

The Iraqi premier left Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a two-day visit -- the first of its kind since he took office in late 2014.

During his visit, al-Abadi held separate talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Iraqi-Saudi relations were tested last summer when Baghdad asked Riyadh to replace then-Saudi Ambassador to Iraq Thamer al-Sabhan, accusing him of interfering in the country’s domestic affairs.

Relations improved significantly in February after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir visited Baghdad, the first senior Saudi official to do so since 1990.