Tillerson hails ‘great potential’ of Saudi-Iraqi ties as nations launch Coordination Committee

The inaugural session of the Saudi Arabia-Iraq Coordination Committee took place in Riyadh on Saturday in the presence of the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson. During the meeting, King Salman and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reaffirmed their commitment to restoring bilateral relations severed by Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The Saudi and Iraqi leaders stressed the need to cooperate to fight terrorism, prevent attempts to destabilize the two countries and develop both economically and culturally. Tillerson said that ties between Riyadh and Bagdad had “great potential” and remain vital for “bolstering our collective security.” Uniting Saudi Arabia and Iraq against Iran has been a priority for Washington in the region.