Jubeir lauds Saudi-Iraqi cooperation to preserve security
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir praised the fruitful cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iraq in maintaining security and stability in the region.
Jubeir met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Hakim on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting in Washington of the member states of the International Coalition to defeat ISIS.
During the meeting, Hakim affirmed Iraq's keenness to strengthen bilateral relations with Riyadh, intensify cooperation, and coordinate about the regional and international developments.
He also called for enhancing economic cooperation and development between the two countries and the continuation of consultations between the two brotherly countries to eliminate regional threats that can harm the interests of peoples of the two states.
Jubeir's speech
During the meeting, Jubeir said, “The International Coalition to Fight ISIS was established in 2014 and consists of 12 countries. My country was one of the founding countries and one of the first countries that participated actively in the military operations against the organization (ISIS),” the Arab News reported.
“My government will continue its fight against terrorism and its sponsoring countries, and pledge to support all international and regional efforts to eliminate terrorist organizations, terrorism and the activities of destabilizing states in the region,” he said.
“We believe that our war against terrorism must include combating its funding and rhetoric that justifies violence and terrorism," he continued
"For this reason, my country has established a center to combat terrorism and extremism and its sources of funding. We also underscore the importance of continuing this alliance so that we can all ensure an effective and lasting defeat," he added.
ISIS caliphate over
Iraq announced the fight against ISIS was over on December 9, 2017, after the group seized the country's second-largest city Mosul, as well as one-third of the rest of the country, before being toppled by an Iraqi military campaign that was backed by the US-led coalition.
Earlier, Hakim called on countries to help expose ISIS "sleeper cells" in Iraq and restore stability.
He asked coalition members for “complete respect for territorial integrity of Iraq” and that all operations must take place with the knowledge of the government in Baghdad and according to its constitution.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that officials would announce next week that “100 percent” of the ISIS caliphate had been liberated.
