The interview of interim Iraqi Charge d’Affaires to Armenia, Dr. Alia Mahmoud Salman al-Zubeidi, with “Aravot”
– Iraqi government forces are trying to liberate the city of Mosul that has a strategic importance for the country but it seems there are no serious results. What is the reason?
– Iraqi forces have already managed to liberate 76 villages in Mosul, and they have already “cleared” these villages from DAISH terrorist hordes. The Mosul liberation battle is advancing steadily and according to the designed plan based on the principles of the citizens, their own property and of liberation from the domination of DAISH terrorist group. Prior to commencing liberation operations of the city of Mosul from the domination of DAISH terrorist gang, Iraqi government confirmed its determination in defense of the citizens’ life and in protection of various departments of the city, as well as an accurate coverage of events going on in Iraq, hence, the Iraqi government allowed the representatives of the international news agencies to accompany the Iraqi troops, thus blocking the road to the international anti-Iraqi media.
The Iraqi government has already expressed its commitment to bring the battle for the liberation of Mosul to its successful completion and the final outcome by initiating all possible measures to fewer casualties among civilians and to ensure the return of the citizens after the liberation of the city. Since the beginning of the battle, the hostilities have already proved the fact that this program is realistic and it is due to the close cooperation between different departments of Iraqi forces and “Peshmerga” forces.
– International newsfeed, however, read that during the Mosul liberation, the Iraqi forces have allowed numerous violations.
– The disinformation by some international organizations that allegedly the Iraqi forces have made numerous violations in the city of Mosul are false accusations that do not comply to the reality, and the Iraqi government has already denied this disinformation and has given strict instructions to all units of Iraqi forces (the Iraqi army, “National centralization of powers,” “Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi”, “Peshmerga” forces, forces fighting against terrorism, the United police) by reaffirming its determination to act in the framework of humanitarian norms and law, and not to display any attitude that contradicts the law towards any accused or suspected person realizing the degree of “sensitivity” of the battle for the liberation of Mosul.
Following the process of the battle for the liberation of Mosul up to date, it can be noted that the Iraqi anti-terrorist forces have made significant progress towards a number of western districts of Mosul (Al-Karama, Al Nahda, Al-Cairo, Al-Amen, Al-Masarif, Al-Kadisiya, Al-Zahra, Al-Tahrir, Al- Mujahideen, Al-Jamia, Al-Samah, Aden, Al-Shukak, Al-khadra and Mahatat Al-telefizyon), while the military leadership finally announced that he had already managed to take the city of Mosul into a military ring.
– It is no secret that on many issues, including Iraq, the superpowers and geopolitical centers have opposite, sometimes exclusive interests which stymie the rapid settlement of the problems. How to avoid becoming an arena of geopolitical disputes?
– The modern Iraqi state has adopted a foreign policy that comes to radically reshape the policy of the previous Iraqi administration which because of its militant and enclosed nature has repeatedly cause Iraq facing an international dead-end. It is accomplished based on the establishment of close cooperation with the world, respecting the sovereignty of the states and on the principle of not to interfere in their internal affairs, starting from closeness of the relations with neighboring countries as well as running an open policy with Arab and Islamic world aiming to return Iraq to its routine life and restore the country’s worthy position among the international community, not allowing the country to become an arena of international conflicts anymore.
The nature of Iraq’s foreign policy is largely conditioned by the current international and regional developments which represent an additional threat to the implementation of main objectives and priorities of Iraq’s foreign policy. The main of which was the rise of “Arab Spring” which shook the entire region. Under these conditions, Iraq thanks to its effective diplomacy and in the frameworks of the law and ethical norms tried to elaborate such a foreign policy by calling for to execute the national requirements thru a dialogue and political-economic reforms in such countries whose peoples are struggling for their rights. Today, Iraq is waging an unprecedented war against DAISH terrorist group, while the Iraqi people is fighting against the barbaric terrorism instead of the whole world.
And at this stage, Iraq’s foreign policy transited from “merely responsive” level typical to Iran until the year of 2003 to a more practical level aiming to strengthen its role in ensuring political just in the developments going on in the region. Under the current conditions, due to such a policy and development associated with the policies and security in Iraq, the Iraqi foreign policy will be able to form a very important factor that will enable to ensure the country’s economic prosperity and withstand the current challenges.
To be continued
Interviewer Nelly GRIGORYAN,
“Aravot”
