Lower House speaker, Iraqi counterpart discuss cooperation

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Abdulmunim Oddat and his Iraqi countrpar Mohammed Al Halboosi on Monday highlighted the importance of building up on the outcomes of the trilateral summits between His Majesty King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi.

During official talks held at the Lower House in Amman, Oddat and Halboosi called for enhancing cooperation and coordination mechanisms in all fields to realise strategic integration between the three countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Oddat noted that the trilateral summits establish a new era of cooperation according to the security and cooperation theory that guarantees the security and stability of the three countries and draws a roadmap for joint investment projects that meet the aspirations of the three peoples and enhance capabilities to face regional crises and challenges. 

He also voiced support for efforts aimed to instill security in Iraq and help Baghdad to maintain national sovereignty and stop interference in its domestic affairs. Oddat stressed the Kingdom’s stance, which considers a stable unified Iraq to be a pillar for regional security and stability. 

The speaker further commended the efforts of the Iraqi government in fighting terrorism, in particular the Daesh terror group. Oddat praised the capabilities of the Iraqi army, which resulted in defeating the terrorist group and contributed to stopping its threats. 

Moreover, Oddat said that the two countries form a "strategic depth" for each other, noting that the current discussions aim to reach a joint vision for the role of the parliaments of the two countries in further developing cooperation between Amman and Baghdad. 

For his part, Halboosi expressed his country’s appreciation of the Jordanian role in supporting Iraq in facing extremism and terrorism, stressing that Iraq is going on with instilling security, imposing national sovereignty and stopping interference in its internal affairs. 

He also reiterated the significance of enhancing parliamentary cooperation to serve the two peoples and the causes of the Arab and Islamic nations, mainly the Palestinian cause. On a similar note, Halboosi stressed the significance of the historical Hashemite Custodianship in protecting the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.