Saudi Arabia, Iraq Agree to Coordinate Stances on Regional, Int’l Affairs

King Salman holds a virtual meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Kadhimi. (SPA)
King Salman holds a virtual meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Kadhimi. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, Iraq Agree to Coordinate Stances on Regional, Int’l Affairs

King Salman holds a virtual meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Kadhimi. (SPA)
King Salman holds a virtual meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Kadhimi. (SPA)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz held a virtual meeting on Thursday with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

The meeting reflects the deep bonds that tie Saudi Arabia and Iraq. A closing statement after the talks underscored these historic ties and hailed their development in recent years. It also underlined the role played by the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council in further strengthening them.

The two sides stressed the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation and bolstering it in various fields, especially politics, security, trade, investment and tourism.

Saudi Arabia hailed the Kadhimi government’s efforts in achieving stability and development in Iraq. Baghdad, for its part, lauded the initiatives Saudi Arabia has offered it in combating the coronavirus pandemic.

On regional developments, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation and coordination in issues of common interest and in a manner that boosts regional security and stability. They stressed the need to steer the region clear of tensions and to pursue factors that consolidate security and stability.

In this regard, Kadhimi expressed Iraq’s support for Saudi Arabia’s new initiative to resolve the crisis in Yemen.

King Salman invited the premier to visit Saudi Arabia soon to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, for talks aimed further strengthening ties between the Kingdom and Iraq.



Saudi Arabia, GCC Condemn Israeli Bombing of UNRWA School

Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
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Saudi Arabia, GCC Condemn Israeli Bombing of UNRWA School

Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)
Rubble after the Israeli attack in Gaza (EPA photo)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed the Kingdom’s strongest condemnation and denunciation of Israeli forces targeting a school that was sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the death of several people, including employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The Kingdom stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, protection of unarmed civilians, and an end to the unprecedented humanitarian disaster that the Gaza Strip is witnessing due to Israeli violations of international laws and norms, SPA reported.
The Kingdom reiterated its complete rejection of targeting relief facilities, organizations, and their workers, stressing the responsibility of the international community to activate mechanisms of international accountability and put an end to these ongoing Israeli violations of international and humanitarian laws

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi also expressed his condemnation and denunciation of the UNRWA school bombing.
In a statement, Albudaiwi emphasized the urgent need for the international community to take a firm stance against the Israeli army to halt the continuous and systematic violations against the Palestinian people that have resulted in the tragic loss of tens of thousands of innocent civilian lives.
He said that the deliberate targeting of relief and UN staff represents yet another heinous crime added to the long list of repeated war crimes committed by the Israeli forces in Gaza. He also reiterated the statement made during the 161st GCC ministerial council meeting, held on September 9, firmly rejecting any attempts to justify the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip as self-defense.
He urged the international community to take action to address the unlawful practices of the Israeli government and its policy of collective punishment imposed on the besieged residents of Gaza and the entire Palestinian population.