Mohammed Abu Zaid
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has said that his country rejects all foreign interference in Iraq’s affairs.
During his meeting with the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Muhammad Al-Halbousi, he stressed the need to adhere to the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s readiness to support Iraq in all fields to restore its historical position and its Arab and regional role.
A spokesman for the Egyptian presidency said El-Sisi welcomed the speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, conveying his greetings to President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi.
The spokesman said that the meeting reflects the improving joint relations and the exchange of visits of senior officials in the two countries, whether at the bilateral level or through the tripartite cooperation mechanism with Jordan.
El-Sisi also affirmed Egypt’s readiness to transfer the experience of its development experience to Iraq to support the government’s move to stabilize the country, restoring its historical position, its active Arab and regional role, and consolidating its position in the Arab world.
The Egyptian president also stressed the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections in shaping Iraq’s future and strengthening its national institutions.
Al-Halbousi conveyed to El-Sisi the greetings of Salih and Al-Kazemi.
Al-Halbousi stressed his country’s pride in the successive visits of El-Sisi to Iraq, adding that it has consolidated the depth of the close bilateral relations between the two countries.
The speaker praised Cairo’s supportive role in restoring stability in Iraq, and its contributions to its development and consolidation of security.
He expressed the aspiration to develop cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially at the parliamentary level, and to benefit from the Egyptian experiences in development and building state institutions.