An Iraqi MP makes incendiary statement, saying that the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) is on the verge of buying ammunition worth USD 300 M from Romania. Romanian ambassador to Bagdad promptly denied the accusations.
On Saturday, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, Hakim Zamili (photo) asked PM Haider al-Abadi to intervene immediately to stop the $300 million-worth ammunition brought from Romania by ISIS, and financed by one of the neighboring countries, iraqinews.com informed.
“I ask Prime Minister to intervene immediately to stop the $300 million purchase of ammunition by ISIS from Romania. This deal is financed from one of the neighboring countries,” Zamili said in a statement.
A day later, the ambassador of Romania in Iraq denied that his country has made an arms deal with the ISIS group, noting that all weapons exports to Iraq are made with knowledge of the Iraqi government.
“The information about Romanian weapons and supplies exported for the ISIS group is ‘incorrect,’” asserting that, “Romania does not provide weapons to any of Iraq’s neighboring countries,” Ambassador of Romania Jacob Prada stated.
“All weapons exports to Iraq are made with knowledge of the Iraqi government and the Embassy has records of them,” he also mentioned.
Later on Monday, the Romanian FM Bogdan Aurescu firmly disavowed the accusations during a meeting with the Iraqi ambassador in Bucharest, Omer Berzinji. Aurescu underlined that “such false allegations can negatively affect Romania’s profile and reputation, as well as the bilateral relations between Romania and Iraq,” according a press release issued by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Ambassador Omer Berzinji pointed out that the opinion featured in the above mentioned press article is not representing the official position of the Iraqi Government, but there are strictly personal opinions expressed by the referred to MP in Baghdad. Minister Aurescu made a note of the Iraqi Government’s view that consider these statements are not complying with the reality,” MFA press release also reads.