Armenian, Iraqi Defense Ministers Discuss Bilateral Cooperation Prospects

YEREVAN — On March 24, a delegation led by the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Iraq Jumaa Inad Saadun Khattab arrived in Armenia on an official visit.

After the official welcoming ceremony held at the RA Ministry of Defence on March 25, a private conversation took place between the Ministers of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Iraq, followed by a meeting with the full delegation.

The interlocutors discussed the prospects of bilateral cooperation between Armenia and Iraq in the field of defence, noted the possibilities of cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest: exchange of experience, regular military-political consultations, military-technical cooperation.

During the meeting, issues related to regional security were also discussed. The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan presented the situation created as a result of the hostilities, the process of implementation of the agreements reached after their termination.

RA Minister of Defence Vagharshak Harutyunyan and Minister of Defence of the Republic of Iraq Jumaa Inad Saadun Khattab signed an agreement of intent for cooperation in the defense sphere between the RA Ministry of Defence and the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, which identified 13 areas of cooperation of mutual interest. The document also envisages the preparation and signing of a Memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Iraq on cooperation in the field of defence.

On March 25, the delegation led by the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Iraq visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to the memory of the canonized victims of the Armenian Genocide.