The conference, which brought together, on the shores of the Dead Sea, twelve countries of the region, including Saudi and Iranian enemies, did not produce any results.
By Philippe Ricard (Sweimeh, Dead Sea Rives (Jordan), Special Envoy)
Dialogue, or dialogue of deaf: the leaders invited to a conference supposed to contribute to the stabilization of Iraq, Tuesday, December 20, alternated between two postures, obviously contradictory. The meeting, co -organized by Iraq, Jordan and France, brought together twelve countries of the region, including the Saudi and Iranian enemies.
In a Jordanian luxury hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea, in the small locality of Sweimeh, both have tried to show good will, without managing to dispel the distrust, which prevents any cooperation from cooperation ‘scale in the region. And not without renouncing, Iran in mind, to defend their influence in a country torn by his long fight against the terrorist organization Islamic State, in the wake of the 2003 American invasion.
“Pivot role of Iraq “
Basically, everyone makes the same observation, summarized by King Abdallah II of Jordan at the opening of the discussions, which underlined the “pivotal role of Iraq” in the maintenance of “stability” regional. But the various capitals continue to draw opposite conclusions.
The meeting constituted a kind of baptism of diplomatic fire for the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Chia Al-Soudani, appointed after months of political blockage after elections dominated by the pro-Iranian parties. After going to Tehran in November, this leader himself deemed to be close to Iran therefore tried to give wages. “This kind of conference is a window that strengthens regional cooperation efforts,” he said, promising to have “balanced relationships with all regional and international partners” and stay “away from the axes “Politicians. “Iraq faces an existential threat because of the lack of water, we want to work with our neighbors, Turkey and Iran,” he said.
These words were not enough to convince the Arab leaders who, without surprise, multiplied the warnings against Iran. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Saudi, Prince Fayçal, thus reiterated “the total rejection by the kingdom of any form of aggression against the territory of Iraq”, in reference to the recent strikes carried out by Iran against the Kurdish minority from the north of the country. “The success of Iraq will be that of all the Arab countries,” insisted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi, before also emphasizing his “refusal of all external interventions in Iraq”.
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