MOROCCO, January 30 - Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita held, on Saturday in Baghdad, talks with his Iraqi peer Fouad Hussein on regional issues, as well as on ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields.

"The meeting was an opportunity to discuss many issues of common interest and emphasize the need to establish the necessary mechanisms for the establishment of immediate and future relations between the two countries, as well as the importance of trade and economic cooperation, among others," said Hussein at a joint press conference after his talks with Bourita.

He highlighted the leading role played by the Kingdom of Morocco on the political and economic scenes, in Africa in this case, noting the importance of building, on solid foundations, relations between the two countries.

Iraq's top diplomat said the meeting also focused on the creation of a Businessmen Forum of the two countries in order to establish trade and economic relations not only at the level of the two governments, but also between businessmen and private sector.

In this regard, he stressed the need to review the old agreements so that they are compatible with the political and economic situation of the two countries. 

In addition, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the talks focused on joint cooperation between the two countries at the Arab, Islamic and international levels, and the need to continue consultations on political issues of interest to both parties, highlighting the clear political coordination between Morocco and Iraq.

For his part, Bourita said that his visit to Iraq is a strong signal reflecting the depth of relations between the two countries as it coincides with the 65th anniversary of the opening of the Iraqi embassy in Morocco.

He added that this visit reflects the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to strengthen Moroccan-Iraqi bilateral relations in all areas and confirms that Morocco has always supported and will continue to support the choices of the Iraqi people and its national institutions, while emphasizing the respect of the sovereignty, unity and stability of Iraq and the support of the Kingdom to all measures taken by the Iraqi authorities in this regard.

In this context, Bourita affirmed Morocco's support for Iraq's national unity and sovereignty, adding that His Majesty the King follows with optimism the path taken by the country to strengthen its institutions and its role in its regional and Arab-Islamic environment. 

He stressed, moreover, that trade and economic relations between the two countries should further develop, like the strong political and humanitarian relations deeply rooted, stressing the need to remove all obstacles to encourage economic actors to cooperate more.

In addition, Bourita said that the talks with his Iraqi counterpart have focused on regional issues, the Palestinian one in this case, highlighting the convergence of views between the two countries in favor of a comprehensive, lasting and final solution to the Palestinian question on the basis of a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Al-Quds as its capital.

Bourita stressed that His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, stresses the need to preserve the legal, historical and cultural status of the Holy City.

MAP: 28 January 2023