Foreign Relations complain that they are being kept away from preparing for the Baghdad Conference

[size=52]Foreign Relations complain that they are being kept away from preparing for the Baghdad Conference[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad/ Firas Adnan[/size]
[size=45]Yesterday, Tuesday, the House of Representatives’ Foreign Relations Committee complained that it was not involved in preparing for the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership to be held in the coming days, pointing out that its members learned about it through the media, criticizing that it did not receive an answer to its inquiry about the nature of the conference and the countries invited to it.[/size]
[size=45]However, the committee, however, talked about the need to come up with positive results that could later turn into agreements and work programmes, pointing out that it is not possible to rely on a single meeting in resolving contentious issues with countries.[/size]
[size=45]A member of the committee, Representative Amer Al-Fayez, said, in a statement to (Al-Mada), that "the committee learned of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership through the media, and the personal relationships of some members."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Fayez continued, “We sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier; In order to inform the committee about the nature of the conference and the countries to which the invitation will be directed, and we have not received an answer on it until the present time.”[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "What is surprising for us is that we were not invited among the delegations that sent invitations to countries; Especially the Gulf states, with whom we have a joint friendship committee.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Fayez added, "Any meetings were not held with the Foreign Relations Committee in order to inform it of the latest developments, and the government should have done so; Because of the communication we enjoy with the competent authorities in the countries that were invited to the conference.”[/size]
[size=45]And he stated, "The House of Representatives and its specialized committees support the holding of international conferences in Baghdad, and if we had been sought, we would have supported them, supported them, and participated in the success of the entitlement."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Fayez concluded that “strengthening Iraqi relations with other countries is a matter of public interest, and the Foreign Relations Committee or other parties will not stand against this trend.”[/size]
[size=45]Observers find that the conference is a valuable opportunity to bring together the views of the conflicting countries on the Iraqi arena, especially Saudi Arabia and Iran, or the United States and Iran.[/size]
[size=45]For his part, Committee member MP Rami Al-Sakini said in a statement to (Al-Mada), that “the conference that we are waiting to hold in Baghdad does not necessarily include the presentation of strategic projects, but rather is to bring the views closer and initiate a future work map.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sakini continued, "Iraq should not continue to be isolated and away from its regional surroundings, especially with the presence of many water, oil, investment, border and security files that must be discussed, whether in this conference or what will follow it."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "It is hoped that the conference will bring the views of these files closer, as it is not possible for a single meeting to resolve these issues, many of which are controversial."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sakini stated, "The country is an open arena, subject to many conflicts, and it should have understandings and external discussions."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "The talk should be frankly, that Iraq is an open arena in its political system, and its political, economic and security decisions," and he went on to say that "the understandings come from abroad; to reflect on the inside.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sakini believes, "What counts for the current government is that it is open to countries from which Iraq was far from, but in the current situation some steps have been achieved that we believe are in the right direction."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "the need to expedite the discussion of the outcomes of this conference in order to translate them later into agreements and work programs that can be relied upon in building relations that preserve Iraq's sovereignty. As for the current meeting, it is in order to break the deadlock and start what we think of in the future."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sakini called for “exploiting this rapprochement to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of relations with countries within the regional and Asian surroundings; With the aim of benefiting from advanced experiences, especially on the security and investment levels.”[/size]
[size=45]But at the same time, he warned against "restricting this conference to the formal aspect, through attendance and protocol issues only, without thinking about what will happen in the future." Al-Sakini stressed that "the representatives of Iraq will bear the primary responsibility for the success of the conference and for it to come out with a rapprochement that is reflected in reality and the regional environment that can be positively invested at a later time."[/size]
[size=45]He continues, "The delegations that will come will have their impressions of the situation in Iraq and in light of this they will take the appropriate decisions regarding relations with it, and here is our responsibility to give a positive picture of what is going on internally."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sakini went on to say that "many meetings have brought us together with diplomatic missions that have a perception that the Iraqi environment is expelling investment, and that the terrorist organization ISIS is still in control of some provinces. This picture should change through the upcoming forum." Iraq is seeking to organize an international forum called the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership at the end of this month, in which a number of countries were invited, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, France, Japan and the United States, in addition to other countries. Iraq also looks forward to effective participation at high levels of representation.[/size]
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