BAGHDAD, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani met visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties and regional security, his office said.
Al-Sudani stressed Iraq's commitment to strengthening relations with France, particularly in the economic sphere, according to a statement from his media office.
He said Iraq had taken on "significant responsibilities on behalf of the international community" in transferring suspected Islamic State (IS) militants from prisons in Syria, adding that Baghdad needed international support at what he described as a critical moment. Countries concerned must fulfil their obligations by repatriating their nationals, he said.
On U.S.-Iran tensions, al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's support for dialogue as the main path toward de-escalation and peaceful solutions.
Barrot said France was keen to work closely with Iraq to promote regional stability and coordinate efforts to combat terrorism, the statement said. He praised Iraq's role in transferring detainees as contributing to regional security and affirmed France's readiness to provide support on issues related to the detainees.
Before arriving in Iraq, Barrot also visited Syria earlier in the day, where he stressed the importance of fighting against "any resurgence of terrorism in Syria," according to his X account. ■
