8 minute read
Balancing Priorities: Iraq’s Evolving Relationship with International Powers
from 2019 Sulaimani Forum
by Awder4
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Speakers: John Wilks Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Republic of Iraq Andrew Peek Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq and Iran, US Department of State Laith Kubba Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Iraq Falah Mustafa Head of Foreign Relations for the KRG Hakem Takim Director General of South Asia in the Turkish Foreign Ministry Ebtisam Al Ketbi President of the Emirates Policy Center
Balancing Priorities: Iraq’s Evolving Relationship with International Powers Moderator: Robin Wright Joint Fellow at United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center (WWC), and Contributing Writer for the New Yorker
This panel discussion was moderated by Robin Wright, a foreign affairs analyst and journalist, who has reported from 140 countries on six continents, winning the National Magazine Award for her work with the New Yorker. Her book, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion across the Islamic World, won the 2012 Overseas Press Club Award for Best Book on International Affairs. She also won the United Nation’s Correspondents Association Gold Medal for coverage of foreign affairs and the National Press Club Award.
Wright opened by expressing her gratitude to be at the Sulaimani Forum once again with its rich variety of participants. She started off the discussion by introducing the panelists and pushing them to go beyond platitudes and to instead draw out the specifics that concern Iraq and its place in the region. Iraq has the potential to be a bridge between the Arab World, the Gulf, and the Mediterranean. As a melting pot of ethnicities and ethnic groups, the country is also located in an important and strategic geographical position, with many competing interests and influences.
Wilks began by stating that the past year had seen a positive turn in
Iraq’s development whereby the country is returning to the international scene. Iraqis should be proud of the fact that for the first time in 15 years, they have a Speaker of the Parliament, a Foreign Minister, a
Prime Minister, and a President working together to further a democratic vision of Iraq in the region and in the world. Nonetheless, he cautioned that the Iraqi government should carefully implement a balanced foreign policy towards powerful neighbors such as Turkey and Iran, and also towards large international actors, such as the US, China, Russia, and other European countries. Achieving this equilibrium will be difficult, he said. For Iraq, failure to obtain balance between the US and Iran in particular could jeopardize the diplomatic progress that the country has made over the past six months. One problem specifically is that since the US has imposed sanctions on Iran, there is an atmosphere of confrontation. This places Iraq in the difficult position of maintaining a good relationship with the US without being too threatening towards Iran. This also means that Iraq has to be careful not to serve as Iran’s proxy for interventions into Syria and the rest of the Middle East region. He concluded by arguing that the only way to achieve this balance was to be very clear on what Iraqi national interest is and what criteria is needed to further it, as well as identifying what other countries could do to advance this. All Iraqis ought to feel extremely proud [...] that they have for the first time in the last fifteen years a “
President, a Prime Minister, a Speaker of the Parliament, and Foreign Minister who work together and present an Iraqi view of Iraqi interest to the region and the world. “
Peek underscored that Iraq is one of the only bipartisan foreign policy concerns for both parties in the US government, with both Republicans and Democrats sharing a commitment to Iraq’s success. Like Wilks, he was encouraged by last year’s elections, in which Iraqis voted across sectarian lines and the elections were followed by a peaceful transfer of power. There is a substantial willingness among the international community to invest in Iraq’s future. However, this depends on the Iraqi government’s policies towards certain conditions that range from facilitating business transactions and opportunities to making it easier to acquire an Iraqi visa. “ Virtually alone in the Middle East, [Iraq] is the bipartisan American foreign policy concern. Everyone wants Iraq to be successful. “
A further prerequisite for US support, while acknowledging that Iran and Iraq would have a relationship, was dependent on Iraq not being used as a playground for outside powers such as Iran. The policy aim of the US government is for Iraq to function as a self-sufficient nation and he expressed his belief that Iraq is closer to achieving this vision than ever before.
Kubba opened by highlighting that as he is an independent advisor to the Prime Minister, his views were entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Iraqi government. He responded to Peek by pointing to the history of Iraq-Iran relations that added weight to the current complex situation. The way forward for Iraq, however, lies in strengthening the Iraqi state itself. It is not in the country’s interests to be a diluted or shadow state that lacks robust institutions, such as a weak parliament. The current rise in Iraqi nationalism is a response to the state’s limited capacity, but also reveals the population’s will to play an active role in the region. The horizons of Iraqis are broadening and people are not resorting to violence to achieve their political aims. The differences in the political and cultural fabric of Iraq can be a source of strength, not weakness, with the country’s different communities being able to serve as the bridges to their neighbors. He argued that the Prime Minister is a shrewd politician who is capable of balancing many interests. In conclusion, if there was a cure or solution to the religious extremism that has divided the region and the world in recent years, it should come from Iraq, where Sunnis, Shias, and Sufis have coexisted peacefully for hundreds for years. Iraq has the capacity to contribute to the region independently as a country; it has strong cultural, economic, and security ties to the region, it wants to become an active actor in the region. “ “
Mustafa in contrast with other panelists expressed his own feelings of caution, stressing that what Iraq has achieved remains fragile. A major challenge lies in finding solutions between Erbil and Baghdad, based on the constitution. While the constitution does not present answers to all of the challenges ahead, solutions must be found. The KRG has always sought a balanced relationship between Iran, Turkey, and the US, based on mutual respect and understanding, he said. Improving the relationship between the KRG and the central government is further in the best interest of all Iraqis and the wider region. In addition, despite the importance of the KRG’s relationship with Turkey and Iran, they should not compromise their relationship with Baghdad.
“We have always wanted a balanced relationship based on mutual respect “ and understanding, and mutual benefits.
Takim began by stating that Iraq is a very important ally for Turkey and that they shared a mutually beneficial relationship, highlighting their strong economic partnership. Regarding security, if Iraq faces instability then Turkey suffers as well. This is especially true when it comes to fighting terrorism, such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), whose bases Iraq is aware of. It is therefore important for Ankara to support their vision of Iraq as a safe and prosperous country. The fundamental challenge, he said, is to strengthen Iraq’s institutions which have been eroded through decades of war. Turkey perceives Iraq as a microcosm of the Middle East with its diverse ethnic makeup. Therefore, if Iraq can become a successful nation, it can be an example for the region as a whole.
“The fundamental thing is the need to further strengthen the Iraqi national institutions, and to strengthen the ownership of the country among the Iraqi citizens. “
Al Ketbi argued that the Gulf region was prevented from being deeply involved in the country following the invasion of Iraq in 2003. However, the staunch support of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for nation states naturally dictates that it would like to see Iraq stable, both institutionally and in terms of civil society. A nation cannot exist without civil society, she said. Iraq should not be a follower as Iran would like, rather than a genuine partner. However, Iran was not interested in Iraq’s development as a strong nation or in a stable relationship between the two countries. Al Ketbi concluded by saying that Iraq must heal itself and its population first before it can attempt to foster mutually beneficial relationships with neighboring states.
