The Iraqi government confirmed its respect for the will of the Syrians, announcing its rejection of any foreign intervention, in the first official Iraqi position after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime by armed opposition factions .
Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi said in a statement, “The Iraqi government is following the developments in the situation in Syria, and is continuing international contacts with sisterly and friendly countries, in order to push efforts towards stability, and to preserve security, public order, lives and property for the brotherly Syrian people .”
He added, “Iraq stresses the necessity of respecting the free will of all Syrians, and emphasizes that Syria’s security, territorial integrity, and the preservation of its independence are of utmost importance, not only for Iraq but also for its connection to the security and stability of the region .”
Al-Awadi pointed out that “the Iraqi government supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue that includes the Syrian arena with all its spectrums and trends, and in accordance with what the interests of the brotherly Syrian people require, leading to the adoption of a pluralistic constitution that preserves the human and civil rights of Syrians, and supports the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity enjoyed by the generous Syrian people, and the necessity of preserving this diversity that represents a source of wealth for Syria, without violating or compromising it .”
The Iraqi statement reiterated “the importance of not interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, or supporting one party for the benefit of another, as interference will only push the situation in Syria towards more conflict and division, and the first to be harmed will be the Syrian people who have paid a heavy price, and this is something that Iraq does not accept for a brotherly, independent and sovereign country, and is linked to our Iraqi people by ties of brotherhood, history, blood and religion.”
