Iraqi PM Abadi in Saudi Arabia for key talks
Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi arrived on Monday in Saudi Arabia, the first leg of a Middle East tour that will also include Iran and Kuwait, in a diplomatic effort to foster regional reconciliation, his office said.
He is expected to hold talks with King Salman on key regional developments as well as bilateral ties.
Abadi also hopes to “renew relations with three [mentioned] countries, discuss mutual interests, and agree to fight all types of terrorism,” the Iraqi government spokesman said.
Abadi’s visit to Saudi Arabia aims to promote reconciliation between the Sunni Muslim kingdom and majority Shi’ite Muslim Iraq and also to help heal deep and bitter divisions between Iraq’s Shi’ites and its Sunni minority.
Abadi came to office in September 2014 on promises of establishing friendly relations with major powers in the Middle East. Compared to his predecessor Nouri al-Maliki, he has been less critical of Saudi Arabia’s role in militancy that has plagued the region, including Iraq, for the past years. However, Abadi has argued that Riyadh should do more to help countries like Iraq to defeat terrorists.
