Baghdad, Dec 1 (UNI) Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani held discussions with US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on the regional stability and efforts to prevent further escalation.
The two sides stressed the need to avoid any further escalation and to advance a diplomatic path to resolve disputes, "placing the region on a trajectory of cooperation, economic growth, and long-term stability," according to a statement from al-Sudani's media office.
Al-Sudani and Barrack also discussed ways in which "Iraq can continue supporting Syria's stability, security, prosperity, and economic revival in ways that also reinforce Iraq's own stability and prosperity."
For his part, Barrack highlighted the "constructive and essential" role Iraq can play in achieving these shared objectives.
The visit comes amid post-election political wrangling to form a new Iraqi government as a coalition led by Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani has emerged as winner in Iraq’s parliamentary election, according to electoral authorities.
The Independent High Electoral Commission said on Wednesday that al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Change coalition received 1.3 million votes in Tuesday’s election, about 370,000 more than the next closest competitor.
Baghdad has for years been balancing its ties to Tehran and Washington.
The meeting "reviewed mutual perspectives on preventing any further escalation in the region" by "supporting the diplomatic track to resolve disputes, and setting the region on a path of cooperation, economic growth, and long-term stability," a statement by Al Sudani's said.
Barrack emphasised the "constructive and essential role" that Iraq plays in achieving the "shared objectives," it added.
The visit comes days after an attack on the Khor Mor gasfield in the Kurdistan Region halted production and saw blackouts across Kurdish cities. The US embassy called on Baghdad to hold the perpetrators accountable and said Washington was "prepared to lend support to efforts to protect this critical infrastructure," as per the local media reports.
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