Parliamentary delegation wraps up ‘encouraging’ visit to Iraq

AMMAN — The Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said on Friday that Jordanian-Iraqi ties are encouraging at all levels after the parliamentary delegation’s meetings in Baghdad concluded, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Tarawneh, accompanied by the delegation, paid a two-day visit to Iraq upon an invitation from his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed Halbousi, and attributed the new openness in Jordanian-Iraqi ties to efforts by both countries’ leadership and people.

During a meeting with a number of Iraqi politicians and representatives, the speaker highlighted the importance of Iraqi political coalitions in rebuilding Iraq, underlining the role of the lower houses in strengthening the two countries’ cooperation and supporting the two peoples’ aspirations.

He also said that Jordan had supported Iraq during recent years, as the Kingdom is committed to its message and obligations, reaffirming the unaltered stance of the Kingdom towards local and regional issues.

The speaker said that at the top of those issues is resolving the Palestinian cause, based on the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and ensures the right of return and compensation for Palestine refugees.

The head of the Al Nasr (Victory) Coalition, Haider Abadi, stressed the need to empower Jordanian-Iraq ties and called for building an integrated Arab economic system to utilise resources from Arab countries for the common interests of their people. 

He also affirmed Al Nasr Coalition’s ongoing support to enhance cooperation and coordination with Jordan, especially after defeating terrorism in Iraq. 

The head of the Asaib Ahl Al Haq Group, Qais Khazali, described his country as the new Iraq, which had given up sectarian rhetoric after recognising terrorism as the enemy of Iraq. 

Tarawneh and the accompanying delegation also met the head of the Bina bloc, Hadi Amiri, who affirmed Iraq’s keenness to enhance ties, stressing the need for a unified Arab stance to address challenges that the Arab and Islamic worlds face. 

During the visit, the House delegation met the Iraqi President Barham Saleh, Speaker of Parliament Halbousi and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.