- Title: Mideast leaders plus France meet in Baghdad to talk security, diplomacy
- Date: 28th August 2021
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 28, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COUNTER-TERRORISM FORCES DEPLOYED AROUND BAGHDAD'S FORTIFIED GREEN ZONE AHEAD OF REGIONAL SUMMIT IRAQI PRIME MINISTER, MUSTAFA AL-KADHIMI, AND FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI PRIME MINISTER, MUSTAFA AL-KADHIMI, SAYING: "Iraq and France are crucial partners in the war against Daesh (Islamic State), this partnership will continue to defend the values of democracy in this Iraqi democratic experience which is so young." MACRON SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "We all know that we shouldn't drop our guard because Daesh remains a threat and I know the fight against those terrorist groups is a priority for your government. I want to renew the commitment of France to be on your side within the coalition. I also think about the population of Iraq and the hope of a better life, to turn the page of Daesh and, on that point, the displaced clearly have the right to a secure and dignified return in their regions of origin. I want to tell you that France encourages and is alongside the Iraqi government to pursue those efforts in order to support the displaced from different communities." COAT OF ARMS OF IRAQ (MUTE) (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: "In this context, today's conference is historic, it is the result of a process because there couldn't be any stability in Iraq without the ability of the whole region to cooperate." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING / MACRON AND KADHIMI LEAVING VARIOUS OF COUNTER-TERRORISM FORCES DEPLOYED AROUND BAGHDAD'S FORTIFIED GREEN ZONE AHEAD OF REGIONAL SUMMIT
- Embargoed: 11th September 2021 09:16
- Keywords: Daesh Iraq Islamic State Kadhimi Macron summit
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Middle East,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES719AF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Several Middle Eastern leaders and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Baghdad on Saturday (August 28) at a summit hosted by Iraq, which wants its neighbours to talk to each other instead of settling scores on its territory.
Relationships within the region are strained chiefly by hostility between Iran on one side and the United States and its Arab Gulf allies on the other.
Organisers said they did not expect any diplomatic breakthroughs at the summit.
Heads of state attending included President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, King Abdullah of Jordan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Macron. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates sent their heads of government, and Turkey its foreign minister.
Macron's trip to Iraq over two days aimed to support the regional dialogue, meet Iraqi political leaders and visit French special forces involved in the ongoing fight against Islamic State insurgents.
Shi'ite Muslim Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, longtime rivals for regional dominance, did not send their heads of state or government. Iran said it was sending Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, while Saudi Arabia had not yet announced its representative.
The two countries resumed direct talks in Iraq in April this year, but there has been no significant outcome so far.
Iranian officials have said they are focused more on the outcome of talks in Vienna with Western powers over Iran's nuclear program and international sanctions.
The U.S.-Iran rivalry brought the Middle East to the brink of war after the United States under former U.S. President Donald Trump killed Iran's military mastermind Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike at Baghdad airport in 2020.
Iran-backed militias have launched increasingly sophisticated drone and rocket attacks against U.S. forces stationed in Iraq, and also fired drones at Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has blamed attacks on its oil installations on Iran - a charge Tehran denies.
(Production: Manuel Ausloos, Maher Nazeh, Lucien Libert) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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