QNA

 

Qatar has welcomed the election of Fouad Masoum as Iraq’s new president, Saleem al-Jubouri as president of the House of Representatives and the designation of Haider al-Abadi as the new prime minister .

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, expressed Qatar’s hope that the  new government would be “the starting point towards forming a comprehensive national government that includes all components of the Iraqi people”.

It stressed “the need to adhere to the national dialogue as a platform to discuss Iraq’s real priorities”.

The ministry also expressed the hope that this would be a step towards maintaining Iraq’s independence, its security and stability, underlining the need to overcome any divisions that would threaten the country’s security and sovereignty.

The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) also welcomed the nomination of al-Abadi as the new prime minister.

Abadi has won broad international backing, from the US, Saudi Arabia and Iran amongst other countries.

In a message of congratulations addressed to al-Abadi and to President Masoum, OIC secretary general Iyad Madani said he hoped the “major” political development would enable Iraq to “deal with the challenges facing it”.

He hoped Iraq would resume “its active role at the Arab, Islamic and international levels”.

Madani hoped all regional and international powers would support “the unity of Iraq without distinction between the component parts” of the country.

The international community has urged al-Abadi to quickly form a unity government ready to face up to the militants who have taken control of large swathes of Iraq.

The UN Security Council called on Abadi to quickly form a government capable of beating back a militant offensive.

The 15-member council said in a statement that the choice of al-Abadi was “an important step” toward forming an inclusive government that would be able to counter the advance by extremist Islamic State (IS) fighters.

The council “urge the prime minister-designate, Haidar al-Abadi, to work swiftly to form such a government as quickly as possible and within the constitutional timeframe,” said the statement.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pointed to the “lack of inclusiveness” in the previous Shia-dominated government of Nuri al-Maliki as one of the causes behind the rise of the militants.

Fighters from the extremist IS group have made dramatic gains in Iraq, prompting the United States to order air strikes to halt their advance and air drops to help tens of thousands of fleeing civilians.

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