Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi stressed the need to distance Iraq from what he called “the policy of axes,” and praised the results of the Amman tripartite meeting which brought him together with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The Jordan-Egypt-Iraq summit has raised concern among Iran’s allies in Iraq.
“Getting Iraq away from the policy of axes is the approach that the current government is following, and it is in the interest of our people," Kadhimi said.
“Balance, moderation, and reliance on strengthening cooperation, especially in economic relations to ensure the interest of Iraq, is what we seek in our relations with countries,” he added.
“The challenges are great, and we must succeed, and we have the opportunity to move the country on the right path,” Kadhimi stressed, calling on Iraqi ministers to meet with their counterparts in Egypt and Jordan to enhance cooperation.
The PM further voiced his hopes that the summit will serve as a gateway to a future that serves the people, brings about prosperity and development, and consecrates the spirit of dialogue, understanding and regional security.
Member of the Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee and pro-Iran politician Amer Al-Fayez downplayed the results of the Amman summit.
“No commitment can be made during the tripartite summit unless it is approved by Parliament,” Fayez said.
He added that “the agreements between Iraq and all countries must be voted on within Parliament, according to the law and the system of the Iraqi state.”
Fayez urged the government to send the drafts of the memorandums of understanding and agreements struck at the summit to Parliament to schedule a date for voting.
Ihsan al-Shammari, President of the Baghdad-based Iraqi Center for Political Thought, noted that the trilateral summit’s outcomes are considered a step forward for Iraq.
“There are parties that see this trend contradicting their ideological orientations, especially as they represent the interests of regional powers,” Shammari told Asharq Al-Awsat, adding that rejectionists may throw obstacles at and try to undermine Iraq’s shift towards its Arab partners.
