New York, September 23 (AseanAll)  — Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Retno Marsudi and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq Fuad Mohammed Hussein held a productive meeting to discuss bilateral and global issues of common interests. 

The meeting covered bilateral cooperation topics, and the situation in Palestine. The two FMs also signed the Agreement on Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports.  

Both Ministers agreed to convene the 7th Indonesia-Iraq Joint-Commission Meeting at the Ministerial Level (JCM) next year. 

They also highlighted the momentum to increase economic-development cooperation. Both countries recorded impressive annual bilateral trade growth rate of 23% since 2019, and increase of PT Pertamina participating interest to 20% last year. There were ample cooperation opportunities in green economy to explore in the future.  

On Palestine, Marsudi expressed profound concern over the ongoing crisis in Palestine, where over 41,000 lives have been lost, both in Gaza and the West Bank. To intensify collective efforts to end the conflict and alleviate suffering, as fellow OIC members, Indonesia and Iraq committed strong support for Palestine.  

The fruitful meeting was subsequently concluded with a signing ceremony for the Agreement on Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Service Passports. This agreement further solidified the robust and lasting relationship between Indonesia and Iraq, a connection that dates back to the early years of Indonesia in 1950.