Parliament Speaker: Iraq keeps ties with Arab world, even if other countries are bothered

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Iraqi Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri on Thursday said Iraq would maintain good relations with neighboring Arab countries even if other nations were bothered by it.

“Iraq’s interests are above the interests of others,” he told Egypt’s Youm al-Sabi’a in an interview.

“We do not retreat from the necessity of building good relations with the Arab countries even if another country is bothered by the relationship,” he added.

Regarding ties between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government, the Parliament Speaker noted that the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad had been resolved “by a large margin.”

Jabouri added that he would visit the Kurdistan Region soon to meet with Kurdish officials and discuss developments in the relations between Erbil and Baghdad since last year’s historic independence referendum.

“The Kurdistan Region believes in its involvement in a united Iraq,” he claimed, stating that Baghdad respects the aspirations of the Region and prosperous life for the people of Kurdistan “who deserve all the best.”

Despite an overwhelming 92 percent voting for secession from Iraq, Baghdad rejected the results and responded by imposing punitive measures, including the use of force by the Iraqi army and Iran-backed Shia militias to regain control of disputed territories.

Asked about the presence of militia groups in Iraq, Jabouri stated that efforts were being made to make sure nobody “holds weapons outside of the state.”

“Iraq needs to move forward where state security and military institutions are greatly respected,” Jabouri noted, calling for an end to the exploitation of the army to strengthen other military groups, referring to the Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany