The Speaker of the Jordanian Senate, Faisal Al-Fayez, and the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Heibat Al-Halbousi, affirmed the importance of extending the Iraqi oil pipeline through Jordan, highlighting it as a mutual benefit for both brotherly nations.
اضافة اعلان
This came during bilateral talks held at the Senate headquarters on Monday, which covered bilateral relations and avenues to enhance cooperation between the two brotherly countries, particularly within the economic sector.
Al-Fayez stated: "The fraternal Jordanian-Iraqi relations are historic, solid, established, and deeply rooted. They are based on mutual respect in a manner that serves the interests of our two countries and peoples, as well as the just causes of our nation."
He emphasized that Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, is constantly keen to develop bilateral relations with Iraq and build upon them in various fields to ensure they remain strategic. He noted that the two countries and peoples are the closest to each other, sharing common historical, cultural, and social bonds.
Al-Fayez pointed out that Jordan believes Iraq's security and stability are a shared interest. He stated that Jordan stands at an equal distance from all components of the Iraqi people and, under the directives of His Majesty the King, places all its capabilities at the service of Iraq to enable it to face any challenges it may encounter, and to preserve its unity, security, and stability.
He noted the importance of increasing joint cooperation across various political and economic fields, activating bilateral agreements, and strengthening parliamentary relations to serve shared goals.
Al-Fayez called for boosting joint investments in various vital sectors, stressing the importance of executing the Iraqi oil pipeline project through Jordan. The project, which has been approved, constitutes a new gateway for exporting Iraqi oil to international markets, thereby serving both Iraqi and Jordanian interests, especially after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the continuous threats by regional states to close it and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, using them as a political card in regional conflicts.
He added that the Arab nation is experiencing major political, economic, and security challenges resulting from the Iranian-American-Israeli war, and due to the aggression of the Israeli occupation state against the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as against Lebanon and Syria, alongside its continuous aggressive and expansionist policies in the region.
Al-Fayez reiterated Jordan's strong rejection and condemnation of Iranian assaults against Jordan and Arab countries. However, he raised the question: What comes after the day following the end of the Iranian-American-Israeli war, given the ongoing state of Arab fragmentation? Will our nation's situation remain as it is now, or must it realize the magnitude of the dangers confronting it?
He continued: "The day after the end of the war requires our nation to rearrange its priorities and build an integrated Arab system—politically, economically, and militarily—to defend its interests and protect its security and stability from regional and international interventions."
Al-Fayez stressed that Arab economic unity has become an imperative demand. He noted that Arab countries, with the human and economic capabilities they possess, are capable of being a regional and international power, enabling them to possess their own political and economic decision-making and preserve their interests.
He praised Iraq's positions in support of Jordan and His Majesty King Abdullah II in his efforts to bring peace to the region and resolve the Palestinian cause justly and comprehensively based on the two-state solution. He also commended Iraq's alignment with His Majesty's rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, while expressing appreciation for Iraq's support for the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Al-Fayez added: "We in Jordan will continue our support for our nation's just causes and will maintain our coordination with brotherly Iraq to enhance our bilateral relations and serve our common interests. In the Senate, we will be keen to continue our joint coordination with your parliament to advance our fraternal relations, Arab parliamentary work, and unify our positions on various issues of common interest discussed in international parliamentary bodies."
For his part, Al-Halbousi spoke about the depth of Iraqi-Jordanian relations, the strength of historical ties, and good neighborliness throughout history. He noted that Iraq holds all its neighbors in high esteem and respect, especially Jordan, which has never hesitated for a moment to support his country’s stability and security.
He mentioned that his visit to Jordan, heading a parliamentary delegation that includes the heads of political blocs in the Iraqi Parliament, is his first since assuming the speakership of the parliament, which demonstrates the depth and strength of relations.
He explained that Iraq has proceeded with holding parliamentary elections, followed by electing the presidency of the republic, the speakership of parliament, and forming the government within the constitutional timeframes, despite regional circumstances.
Al-Halbousi addressed the importance of the Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline project, describing it as a strategic pipeline that yields the greatest benefit to Iraq in the first place. He affirmed that Iraq is serious about moving forward with the project, whose first phase extends from Basra to Haditha in western Iraq.
He pointed out that Iraq is in dire need of diversifying its oil export outlets, especially in light of the challenges witnessed in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. At the same time, he explained the importance of the electrical interconnection project between the two brotherly countries, as Iraq today needs to increase the amounts of energy imported from the Kingdom and benefit from Jordan's electricity surplus.
Al-Halbousi indicated that the official Iraqi position remains steadfast toward the Palestinian cause, which constitutes the primary Arab cause, reiterating his country's condemnation of the genocide being suffered by the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces.
In turn, the Jordanian Senators spoke about the historical and strategic dimension connecting the two neighboring capitals, Amman and Baghdad, and their rich history in supporting bilateral stances, calling for increased cooperation in various fields, particularly the economic one.
From their side, the Iraqi Members of Parliament spoke about the depth of bilateral relations and the importance of building on them to include various fields and sectors, especially economics.
They confirmed that there is a genuine Iraqi desire to export Iraqi oil through Jordan to help diversify Iraq's export outlets, noting the importance of benefiting from successful Jordanian experiences across all vital sectors.
The talks were attended on the Jordanian side by the Second Deputy Speaker of the Senate, Senator Dr. Abdullah Ensour; Assistants to the Speaker Suhair Al-Ali and Dr. Zuhair Abu Fares; the Rapporteur of the Arab, International, and Expatriates Affairs Committee, Senator Ali Al-Ayed; the Head of the Jordanian-Iraqi Fraternity Committee, Senator Haya Al-Qarallah; alongside the Head of the Honor Mission, MP Khamis Atieh.
Attending from the Iraqi side were the heads of political blocs in the Iraqi Parliament, MPs: Ahmad Mazhar Ibrahim, Uday Awad Al-Hussein, Rebwar Hadi Abdul Rahman, Humam Ali Al-Tamimi, Ali Shaddad Al-Jourani, and Kolsal Muhammad Abdul Rahman, alongside the Iraqi Ambassador, Dr. Omar Al-Barzanji.
