Pompeo ‘looks forward’ to new Iraqi government

WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan 24) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement on Monday, affirming that the US was looking forward to working with the new Iraqi government.

On Thursday, Iraqi President Barham Salih nominated Mustafa al-Kadhimi as Iraq’s next prime minister to replace Adil Abdul Mahdi, who resigned in November. Until his nomination, the 53-year-old Kadhimi had been director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service.

Assuming Kadhimi wins parliamentary approval, which appears likely, he will become Iraq’s youngest post-2003 prime minister, the representative of a new generation and 25 years younger than Abdul Mahdi.

Kadhimi took “his first steps” in forming his new government on Saturday by meeting with Iraq’s Finance Minister, Fuad Hussein, of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Al-Sharq al-Awsat reported.

“I had a friendly and explicit meeting with PM-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi, in which we discussed steps of his cabinet formation and challenges Iraq faces,” Hussein tweeted.

Today Sat, 11 April, I met PM designate @MAKadhimi .In a friendly & explicit metg we discussed steps of cabinet formation & challenges Iraq faces. I wished Mr. Kadhimi success in his endeavours & hoped that he submits his cabinet list to the parliament at the earliest.@IraqiGovt

— Fuad Hussein (@Fuad_Hussein1) April 11, 2020

In his statement on Monday, Pompeo said, “The United States looks forward to the formation of a new Iraqi Government, capable of confronting the COVID-19 pandemic, ameliorating the country’s current economic distress, and bringing arms under state control,” as the Secretary listed what he considered to be the most critical tasks facing Kadhimi, as he assumes his new post.

“We welcome that Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish political leaders seem to have arrived at a consensus on government formation,” Pompeo continued, “and hope the new government puts Iraq’s interests first and meets the needs of the Iraqi people.”

Kadhimi’s nomination follows the visit to Baghdad of the head of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, who succeeded Qasim Soleimani, following his assassination earlier this year.

That made it appear Kadhimi was acceptable to Iran, and, indeed, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, on Sunday, welcomed Kadhimi’s designation as Iraq’s next prime minister.

Despite the tensions between Washington and Tehran, Kadhimi is acceptable to the US, as well. Last week, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, also welcomed Kadhimi’s nomination, saying that he had done a “fine job” as head of Iraqi intelligence.

Read More: US welcomes Kadhimi as Iraqi PM-designate

As one would expect, Schenker’s statement closely resembled Pompeo’s, as the Assistant Secretary also stressed the importance of Kadhimi acting in Iraqi interests.

The UAE similarly welcomed Kadhimi’s nomination. The UAE Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday, saying it was following “developments in Iraq, as well as the challenges that the country is facing, which require a genuine consensus that works toward achieving national sovereignty and political stability, while addressing economic and social challenges.”

The UAE wished Kadhimi “success in his duties” and hoped for unity between “political and popular forces” to ensure “a better future for Iraq and the Iraqi people.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany