President Salih met today at the Baghdad Palace with the French Armed Forces Minister, Mrs. Florence Parly alongside with her delegation.
The President highlighted that it is imperative to step up international community's effort to continue its fight against terrorism as well as eliminating its hotbeds threatening security and peace; and coordination and cooperation aimed at fighting all forms of extremism need to be boosted.
Furthermore, he noted the importance of close consultation and working together with the EU to establish stability in the region and avert further crisis and tensions.
Therefore, he commended France's vital role in the international coalition against terrorism.
However, the President confirmed that it is essential to support Iraq's efforts to protect its sovereignty, security and stability, and to assert that the principle of non- interference in the internal affairs of Iraq should be respected.
Moreover, he emphasized the importance of the cessation of Turkish military incursions into Iraqi soil which constitute a violation of Iraq's sovereignty and a breach of international laws and covenants and to the good- neighborly relations as well.
French Defence Minister Parly, in her turn, reiterated her country's full support for the stability, security and sovereignty of Iraq.
She also stated that France is on the side of Iraq to prevent the violations of its territory. Therefore, she showed the willingness to provide support to the Iraqi security forces in the areas of training and equipment.
The President and the French Minister discussed the developments of relations between the two friendly nations, and deliberated how to deepen and expand the horizon of cooperation across all the fields including security cooperation and Iraqi military capacity-building, and reviewed the latest developments at both the regional and international levels.