Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with the Foreign Minister of Iraq Dr. Fuad Hussein on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on 17 June 2021.
During the meeting, both Foreign Ministers recalled their recent engagement during Foreign Minister Qureshi’s visit to Iraq in May 2021.
Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted the importance of liberalizing the visa regime for facilitating Pakistani Zaireen visiting the religious sites in Iraq. Both Foreign Ministers also exchanged best practices in promoting religious tourism.
Foreign Minister Qureshi also briefed his counterpart on the latest situation in Afghanistan. Highlighting Pakistan’s abiding interest in a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister underscored Pakistan’s consistent efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process. He expressed the hope that the Afghan parties would realize the opportunity and workout an inclusive politically negotiated settlement.
Both Foreign Ministers agreed to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship including through increased high-level interaction. In that context, Foreign Minister Qureshi reiterated the invitation to his Iraqi counterpart to visit Pakistan. Foreign Minister Hussein responded that he looked forward to visiting Pakistan in August 2021 to further cement the bilateral relations.
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