Foreign Minister Participates in International Ministerial Meeting on Mosul

HE Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani participated in the international ministerial meeting on the future of Mosul held in Paris. The meeting discussed the provision of humanitarian assistance to trapped people in Mosul, the protection of the civilian population, and the management of the flow of displaced people from combat zones. It also discussed how to restore stability in the city of Mosul and its surrounding areas, and areas liberated from ISIS group in general. The meeting stressed the need to synchronize military operations to liberate Mosul, led by Iraq and in support of the international community with a comprehensive political agreement between the Iraqi actors and the relevant regional partners in the long-term battle against ISIS. It also underlined the need to develop an effective plan to achieve stability in Iraq. HE Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, in a speech during the meeting, underpinned the importance of the fight against terrorism according to a national framework that brings together and unites Iraqis, preserves the integrity of Iraqi land, makes no contribution to the consolidation of extremist sectarian practices, and makes no contribution to the demographic change in Iraq. His Excellency added that there must be a national framework that brings together the Iraqis on the basis of citizenship rather than ethnicity and sectarianism. HE the Foreign Minister pointed to the need for the Iraqi government to work on ensuring the safety and protection of civilians from offenses contrary to human values and international humanitarian law, stressing that it should hold accountable all of those who engage on sectarian practices to deter anyone considering a repeat of such practices. He noted to the importance of taking into account the post-liberation stage and how to ensure the return of displaced people as soon as possible as well as to secure the region from any threat. HE the Foreign Minister said that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in helping Iraq, pointing out that Qatar Red Crescent has already begun working with the UN agencies to help Iraqis.