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".
