In the framework of the 71st Session and the high-level Week of the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias met with Iraqi Foreign Affairs Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, on Tuesday September 20th.
During this meeting, the two Ministers discussed ways to further promote bilateral cooperation, while particular emphasis was placed on historical and cultural ties between their two countries. Foreign Minister Kotzias highlighted the importance of Iraqi cultural heritage and the Mesopotamian civilization, and after having elaborated on his initiative to establish the GC9, an Organisation of the ten oldest world civilizations and peoples, he extended an invitation for his Iraqi counterpart to take part in the relevant upcoming Conference, which will take place, in Athens, in the near future.
Foreign Minister N. Kotzias then shared his intention to make a visit to Baghdad soon and spoke of the need for stronger bilateral political dialogue as well as more intense political consultations between the two Ministries, stressing the role Greece can play in promoting EU-Iraqi relations.
For his part, the Foreign Minister of Iraq touched on the significance the Greek Foreign Minister’s visit to Baghdad for the bilateral relations and praised the Greek initiative to organise the GC9 Conference since, as he stated, culture is a soft power tool, which can help boost global cooperation.
September 21, 2016