New round of EU-Iraq negotiations on partnership agreement

New round of EU-Iraq negotiations on partnership agreement
PUKmedia 13-11-2009 10:21:49
EU and Iraqi negotiators begin here Thursday another round of negotiations aimed at concluding a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), said the European Commission in a statement on Thursday.
This will be the ninth round of talks since negotiations started in November 2006. The negotiations will be led on the Iraqi side by Mohammed Haj Hammoud, Deputy-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and by Hugues Mingarelli, Deputy Director-General for External Relations in the European Commission.

Launched in November 2006, the PCA negotiations will lead to the first ever contractual agreement between the EU and Iraq.

The agreement will provide for political dialogue on bilateral, regional and global issues wherever the EU and Iraq have a shared interest in working together and also to improve the trade arrangements between Iraq and the EU, to promote investment and to integrate the country in the international economy.

The previous rounds of negotiations "have been very productive" with most chapters now already agreed, in areas such as combating terrorism, countering proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cooperating on energy, and promoting human rights, noted the statement.

"The negotiation process underlines the European Union's determination to play a significant role in Iraq's transition, and to help Iraq improve the living conditions for all its citizens," it said.

The EU has contributed over 900 million euros towards the reconstruction of Iraq since 2003, with a focus on assisting the Iraqi people in accessing basic services, promoting democracy and good governance.
-KUNA-

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