BAGHDAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Council of Representatives (parliament) held on Saturday a conference for councils of representatives from neighboring countries in Baghdad to discuss security and economic issues.
The one-day conference included Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria.
Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said in his opening speech that "the Iraqi people have suffered a great deal from the bitterness of wars."
"Now, Iraq is regaining its position among other countries in the region. We thank all of our partners and friends who have stood with us in the difficult circumstances," Halbousi told the conference.
Halbousi confirmed that the geographic, social and religious factors are linking Iraq and its neighbors, and Iraq is keen to boost its ties with neighboring countries in a way that keeps balanced relations.
Later in the day, the conference issued its closing statement, in which the participants confirmed "the support of Iraq's stability and preservation of its territorial integrity and unity of social fabric."
It also considered that Iraq's stability is important for the region, emphasizing the "importance of supporting the reconstruction and development in Iraq."
The closing statement asserted that Iraq's victory over the Islamic State is "a common ground for all the peoples of the region to start a new page of cooperation."
The participants "emphasized the importance of supporting moderation and combating extremism in all forms," the statement said.
