BAGHDAD, Iraqi President Barham Saleh on Thursday called for creating a regional platform for cooperation based on joint security and economic bonds.

It is about time to see stability in the region following decades of conflicts and crises that led to collapse of the regional security and cooperative order, said the president during a broad meeting with representatives of Arab and media outlets, according to a statement released by the Iraqi Presidency.

Iraq is a pivotal country in the region and its balanced relations with all other regional states as well as its geographical position make “it an effective factor for dialogue and an area for intersecting the regional interests,” he said.

The Iraqi president expressed aspiration for a regional role by Iraq for sake of security and stability of the Gulf, affirming that it was high time to stop making Iraq an arena for settling others’ scores.

The Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, due to kick off on Saturday, would be helpful for easing off regional tensions and beef up the approach for dialogue among the regional countries, president Saleh continued.

Nine states will partake in the convention. Kuwait will be represented at the gathering by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah.

Source: Kuwait News Agency