Arab League chief discusses post-election Iraq with Kurdistan PM at Manama security conference

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In his latest meeting on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue 2021 security forum in Bahrain, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Saturday.

During their discussion, the two spoke in detail about the relationship between the League of Arab States and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), stressing the importance of cooperating closely to confront multiple issues affecting the Middle East and the world at large.

The focal point, however, was the situation in Iraq following October's parliamentary elections, according to a KRG statement.

“The new government must work to bring stability to Iraq,” Aboul Gheit told Kurdistan 24 following the meeting, calling on Iraqi sides to “remain calm regarding the Iraqi elections.”

In the early days of November, violent clashes broke out as supporters of Iran-aligned militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) attempted to storm Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone as part of protests following the loss of parliament seats by political parties affiliated to the armed groups.

Read More: Iraqi leaders call for restraint as post-election violence escalates

Losing candidates from multiple parties also lodged formal claims of electoral fraud, but the head of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council later said that no clear proof of such allegations had been provided.

Read More: Iraqi judiciary says no proof of fraud in national election

“Results must be adhered to within the democratic framework,” Aboul Gheit told Kurdistan 24 on Saturday in Manama, pointing out more generally that “Arab countries are facing deep problems that require a calm and wise solution.”

Earlier on Saturday, Barzani met with Miguel Berger, Germany’s State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, as well as Ayman Safadi, who serves as both Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which has organized the security conference since 2004, describes the annual event as “a unique forum for government ministers, as well as members of the expert, opinion-forming and business communities, to debate the Middle East’s most pressing security challenges.”