(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) AMMAN, Jan 13 (KUNA) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Monday, called on Iraq not to push international forces to leave its territories after the Iraqi parliament decided to end the presence of foreign forces on its soil.
This came during a joint press conference held by Maas with the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi in Amman to discuss bilateral relations and developments in the region, especially Germany's participation in the international coalition against the so-called Islamic State (IS).
Maas noted that Germany has shown Iraq the importance of the presence of international forces in supporting its efforts in combating terrorism.
He warned that foreign troops withdrawal from Iraq could turn it into a fertile ground for terrorism.
Regarding the death of the former Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad last week, Maas said that his country is following up the events in Iran and that the "Iranians have the right to express their opinion without fear, confront violence and deal with transparency."
Meanwhile, he called on Iran not to interfere in the internal affairs of countries, especially Iraq.
For his part, Al-Safadi affirmed that protecting Iraq and its people and supporting its security and stability is a priority for Jordan.
Al-Safadi stressed the necessity of dialogue and reducing escalation in the region that witnesses major challenges, pointing out that any escalation will have a serious impact on the Middle East, Europe and the world.
According to a statement of Germany's foreign ministry, the German minister's visit to Jordan aims to discuss the future of the German forces participating in the anti-IS coalition.
German reconnaissance jets conducting missions over Syria and Iraq usually take off from Al-Azraq but are currently grounded after Iraqi lawmakers passed a resolution calling for an end to the presence of foreign troops linked to the US-led alliance against Islamic State.
On the Libyan issue, Safadi said it is necessary to support stability and reach a "Libyan solution" by the parties of the conflict without foreign interference.
Maas stated that Germany launched the "Berlin operation" to stop armaments in Libya and reach a truce between the parties of the conflict, so that Libya does not become a magnet for terrorism due to insecurity. (end)
mjb.aa
MENAFN1301202000710000ID1099545958
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.