The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, guaranteed this Thursday the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohamed Shia al Sudani, that Spain will maintain its commitment to the security and stability of the country, a responsibility that he exemplified in the presence of military personnel in international missions. .
Sánchez ratified this support in a joint statement with Al Sudani after the meeting that both held in Baghdad and with which the Spanish chief executive began the agenda of his trip to Iraq.
An agenda that also includes a meeting with the country's president, Abdelatif Rashid, a visit to the Spanish troops who are on a multinational mission in Iraq and a meeting together with Al Sudani with a group of Spanish businessmen to explore investment possibilities.
The Government highlights the importance of this visit, which they emphasize is the first of an official nature by a head of the Spanish Executive to Iraq since José María Aznar traveled to this country in 2003 but when it was still under the administration of the United States.
In the appearance of the two heads of Government, Sánchez highlighted Spain's commitment to the security and stability of Iraq, which he said is exemplified by the presence of the military in the country and which he considered becomes more visible with the fact that Since last May, a Spanish general has been in command of the NATO training mission.
This commitment to the security of Iraq underlined that it will continue, and always at the request of the Iraqi authorities, will support the unity, sovereignty and stability of Iraq.
The President of the Government conveyed to his Iraqi counterpart his concern about the increase in regional tension and its consequences in Iraq and showed him the support and gratitude of Spain for the efforts made to protect the international troops deployed in his country.
"As I have expressed to the Prime Minister, this commitment to the security of Iraq will continue on the part of Spain. My country, always at the request of the Iraqi authorities, will support the unity, sovereignty and stability of Iraq," Sánchez guaranteed. .
In the analysis of the situation in the region, they discussed the situation in Gaza, and Sánchez said that hostilities must cease.
For this reason, he reiterated his position on the matter so that the international community and the parties in conflict focus their efforts on the search for a solution and on the establishment of a serious and credible political process that implies the effective materialization of the two-state solution.
Sánchez assured that bilateral relations are excellent but still have great potential.
In this context, he framed the joint declaration signed on the occasion of this visit, which identifies the areas in which progress is possible and which sets ambitious objectives in the political, economic, commercial, cultural and educational fields.
The result of this visit is also the agreement to hold a meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission in Baghdad in 2024.
Sánchez also conveyed to the Iraqi Prime Minister the interest of a large number of Spanish companies in working together with partners from his country for the reconstruction and development of Iraq.
He considered the presence on this trip of a delegation of representatives of Spanish companies who traveled with him from Madrid to be a reflection of that interest.
After his meeting with the prime minister, the head of the Government went to the residence of the president of Iraq, Abdelatif Rashid, to hold another meeting with him in which he plans to insist on the same message of support for Iraq and the promotion of relations. bilateral.
Sánchez has also visited the Spanish troops stationed at the Union III multinational base in Iraq. There, the head of the Executive has considered it an obligatory reference to mention the twelve members of the Spanish armed forces and the civil guard who have lost their lives in Iraq in various missions while fulfilling their duty.
He has also had a special memory for the seven members of the CNI who were "vilely murdered" twenty years ago in an attack in Iraq on November 29, 2003 in a terrorist ambush in Latifiya when they were carrying out a reconnaissance mission traveling in two civilian vehicles that They were attacked with grenades and rifles.
In his address to the military, Sánchez thanked them on behalf of the Government and Spanish society for the work they do in favor of international security and stability, a commitment that Spain will continue to maintain, he guaranteed.
The Spanish president has highlighted the professionalism and dedication of the military, which he said is also recognized by the highest authorities of Iraq because this has been conveyed to him in previous meetings by both the Iraqi president and prime minister, Abdelatif Rashid and Mohamed Shia. al Sudani.
Spain has 370 Spanish soldiers deployed in Iraq, part of the NATO mission and in the 'Inherent Resolve' operation of the International Coalition in the country against the jihadist organization Islamic State (DAESH), as reported in June by the General Staff of the Defense (EMAD).
