The Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolaus Marschke, affirmed on Saturday that his country views Iraq as a pivotal country in the Arab region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement received by the Iraq Times that "the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral Relations, Ambassador Mohammed Hussein Mohammed Bahr al-Uloom, conducted a round of political consultations in the Austrian capital, Vienna, with the Secretary-General of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolaus Marschke. The meeting discussed a number of bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest."
He added that "Ambassador Bahr al-Uloom reviewed, during the discussions, the latest political developments in Iraq, noting that the country has witnessed, in recent years, clear political and democratic progress. The electoral process, scheduled for November 11 of this year, has become an established part of the political system, respected by all parties and based on the Iraqi constitution."
The ambassador explained, according to the statement, that "the Iraqi government has been able to manage regional challenges with great wisdom and has succeeded in sparing the country the repercussions of the tensions and conflicts witnessed in the region."
For his part, according to the statement, Nicholas Marschke reviewed the most prominent political and economic developments in his country, stressing that "Austria views Iraq as a pivotal country in the Arab region," praising his country's decision to reopen the Austrian embassy in Baghdad, which has contributed to strengthening bilateral relations and pushing them toward greater cooperation.
Marschke expressed his country's desire to expand investments and work within Iraq, in light of the remarkable developments it is witnessing on the security and economic levels.
The statement continued, "The two sides discussed a number of regional and international issues and emphasized the importance of activating diplomatic dialogue as a means of resolving conflicts and avoiding escalation, as well as enhancing coordination between the two countries within international organizations, which contributes to consolidating international peace and security."
The two sides stressed the importance of continuing coordination and consultation to implement what was agreed upon and advance bilateral relations to broader horizons of cooperation that serve the common interests of the two friendly peoples.
Austria: We view Iraq as a pivotal country in the Arab region.
