From Riyadh .. Al-Sudani: We reject the aggression on our lands and everyone should respect the sovereignty of Iraq / more

Baghdad / NINA / The Prime Minister, Muhammad Al-Sudani, stressed the necessity of not allowing Iraq to be a headquarters or a passage for aggression against neighboring countries, and said "we reject at the same time the aggression on our lands, and everyone must respect the sovereignty of Iraq." Al-Sudani added in a speech he delivered during the Arab-Chinese summit held in Riyadh: I would like to commend the importance of holding this summit, which comes within a deep understanding of the international arena, so that we can adopt a balanced and complementary foreign policy that serves the interests of our peoples and countries and promotes stability and prosperity. He stressed that Iraq supports all efforts aimed at strengthening the steady relations of cooperation and friendship between the Arab countries and China. He pointed out that this summit is an opportunity for economic integration in our region by strengthening cooperation with China, and benefiting from Chinese expertise in various fields, without forgetting the experiences of combating poverty and epidemics, developing saltwater agriculture, and efforts to combat desertification. He added, Iraq has long-standing relations with China that have gained a growing amount of interest and development over the past years at the governmental and popular levels. He stressed that Iraq is looking forward to strengthening partnership within the Belt and Road Initiative, and within the fields of investment, energy and infrastructure projects. He indicated that "our steps in the next stage will focus on a number of areas, including: First: Developing the economy and providing services, and I invite you today to open up the economy to Iraq, as it represents a promising environment for investment, and has important human and material success ingredients. Second: Not allowing Iraq to be a base or passage for aggression against neighboring countries. At the same time, we reject aggression on our lands, and everyone must respect Iraq's sovereignty. Al-Sudani pointed out that our country was subjected to a brutal terrorist attack, which threatened the entire world. However, the Iraqis stood in self-defense, the region and the world, and made great sacrifices and dear blood, and victory was achieved. We know that the countries of the region and the world will not forget that honorable battle of ours, and will stand with us in our renaissance with gratitude and loyalty. Third: Our region is the heart of the world and the link between the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe. It occupies a distinguished strategic position in the field of energy. Iraq is the center of this region historically and culturally, and among the most important oil-exporting countries in the world. Al-Sudani stressed Iraq's keenness on the stability of the global economic system through our role as a founding member of OPEC, and we aim with our partners to achieve stability in oil production and prices in a way that achieves the balanced interests of producers and consumers. Fourth: We affirm Iraq's steadfast and principled commitment, its standing by the Palestinian people, and its defense of its right to its national state, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He stressed that our region represents an increasing weight in a changing world, and together we must shape our future in it, in a way that achieves our positive openness to all friends on the one hand, and our insistence on imposing respect for our values ​​and privacy on the other hand. He continued: We extend the hand of brotherhood to our brothers, neighbors, and friends, and we cherish our open relations with the countries of the West and the East on the basis of common interests./ End