(14 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baghdad – 14 March 2025
1. Various of Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani walking to podium
2. Iraqi and Syrian flags
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fouad Hussein, Foreign Minister of Iraq:
“We used to have a sectarian war, a sectarian fighting in Iraq and we paid a huge price, and still, this sectarian war has consequences on the Iraqi society that remained, and from this perspective, we discussed the costal issue. What occurred in the Syrian costal, and what occurred to the Alawite sect, to the Alawites. We discussed this issue and expressed our concern.”
4. Close of Iraqi flag
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Fouad Hussein, Foreign Minister of Iraq:
“There are common challenges facing Syrian and Iraqi society, and especially the terrorists of Daesh (Islamic State group). They are an ideology of threat, violence, discrimination, and oppression, and Daesh as a military organization is a threat to the Syrian security, the Syrian communal security and the Iraqi security.”
6. Hussein and Shibani during conference
7. Close of the Syrian flag
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, Foreign Minister of Syria:
“Syria and Iraq must stand firmly against any foreign intervention in their internal affairs. No foreign powers dictate our future, but the will of our people. In addition to that, security is a common responsibility. We are ready to enhance cooperation with Iraq in countering Daesh alongside our borders. Terrorism does not recognize borders and therefore our efforts must be focused on eliminating it. The security of Iraq is the security of Syria and vice versa.”
9. Iraqi and Syrian flags
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, Foreign Minister of Syria:
“We aim in our visit to enhance the trade exchange between our countries, remove the obstacles, and paving the roads to promote the prosperity of Syrian and Iraqi companies together. We are committed to facilitating the movement of goods, services, and investments, and ensure the linking of our industries, agriculture, and markets. The opening of the border between Iraq and Syria will be the main step in strengthening these relations.”
11. Handshake between Iraqi and Syrian foreign minister
12. Fuad Hussein and Asaad al Shaibani leaving the presser hall in Baghdad
STORYLINE:
Syria’s top diplomat arrived in Iraq and pledged in a joint conference that the two countries will work together to combat the Islamic State group.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said at a news conference that “there are common challenges facing Syrian and Iraqi society, and especially the terrorists of IS.”
Hussein referred to an operations room formed by Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon at a recent meeting in Amman to confront IS, and said it would soon begin work.
The relationship between Iraq and Syria is somewhat fraught after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Iraqi Prime Minister Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani came to power with the support of a coalition of Iran-backed factions, and Tehran was a major backer of Assad.
The current interim president of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, was previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani and fought as an al-Qaida militant in Iraq after the U.S. invasion of 2003, and later fought against Assad’s government in Syria.
But Syrian interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani focused on the historic and trade ties between the two countries.
AP video by Ali Jabar
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