ISLAMABAD: Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussain met Pakistani Minister for Defense Production, Zobaida Jalal, on Tuesday at the Iraqi foreign ministry and discussed cooperation in the field of military industry, calling Pakistan a “fundamental and important” partner.
Jalal arrived in Iraq on Sunday a four-day official visit to discuss defense cooperation. Her visit follows Defense Minister Pervez Khattak’s meeting with Iraq’s Ambassador to Pakistan Hamid Abbas Lafta in September. Earlier this month, Islamabad’s military attache in Iraq also called on the Iraqi army chief.
Pakistan's Minister for Defence Production, Ms. Zobaida Jalal, meets Iraq's Foreign Minister, Mr. Fuad Hussain, in the building of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry on 26 January 2021. (Photo courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iraq)
“The two ministers discussed ways to strengthen and develop bilateral relations between the two countries on issues of common interest, including the security aspect in a way that achieves the common interest of the two friendly countries,” the Iraqi foreign ministry said in a statement after Jalal’s meeting with Hussain.
Hussain called Pakistan a “fundamental and important partner” for Iraq, and said the two countries were linked by long-standing ties and common interests, including countering terrorism and extremism. He also stressed the need for bilateral cooperation in the field of military industry.
“The two sides stressed the need to activate the Iraqi-Pakistani joint committee and expedite the completion of agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries,” the Iraqi foreign ministry said. “The two sides also discussed the issue of religious tourism and ways to facilitate the granting of entry visas to Pakistani visitors wishing to visit the holy shrines in Iraq, given their great importance to Muslims in the world.”
