European Union pledges commitment to upcoming Iraqi elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A senior European Union official said on Monday that the alliance strongly supports plans for next month's planned national elections in Iraq, pointing to the imminent dispatch of teams to monitor the vote.

The statement was made by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, during his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Baghdad.

A statement issued by Kadhimi's office quoted Borrell as saying that the European Union is keen "to support the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections by sending monitoring teams from the European Commission and Parliament."

Borrell also praised Iraq's current regional role "as a forum for views," and the support that Baghdad represents for the stability of the region and the consolidation of peace and security in it.

Read More: Nine countries partake in Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership

Iraqi legislative elections are scheduled for Oct. 10, with security procedures already being tightened across the country.

According to the statement, Kadhimi said that his government gives "great attention to the relationship with all European Union countries in various fields, especially political, economic and cultural."

"Iraq's keenness to benefit from the European experience in transforming diversity into an element of strength, by following democratic mechanisms and good governance," the leader stressed.