The Arab League, "defend all countries against the advance of ISIS"
Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The Arab League and its
members members would "defend all countries
against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) advance" on Sunday,
according to the Leaggues' Secretary General on a visit to the Iraqi capital.
Speaking during a press conference on the occasion of the arrival of an Arab
League delegation including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait and Mauritania,
al-Arabi said that the Arab countries are joining efforts to stop the flow of supporters
of 'ISIS crossing the region to join the group and called for a wide-ranging campaign
against them. "The military confrontation - he said - is only part of the
fight against terrorism and extremist ideology" and added that it should
also include "global theological, intellectual and economic opposition".
For his part, the Iraqi foreign minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, speaking at the
meeting, said that his country welcomes the help of the Arab League, but that
"he did not ask and did not intend to ask" for the 'intervention of troops from Arab countries or
others on its territory, in the fight against ISIS.
The foreign ministers of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al
Sabah, and Mauritania, Ahmed Ould Teguedi, Jaafari confirmed
that Baghdad "is ready to receive all kinds of help, except for the presence
of foreign troops on its territory" . Iraq "has stated on more than
one occasion the need for other forms of aid, including the supply of weapons and
support strategic intelligence".