Iraqi FM: Sisi is a cultured and realistic man

CAIRO - 17 September 2017: Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari stressed in an interview on ON Live TV channel Saturday that President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is a “cultured man who speaks in a realistic language.”

During the interview, which was aired on Cairo Time program on ON Live with television presenter Youssef al-Husseiny, Jaafari also noted that Sisi “always searches for solutions and options” to different problems.

Jaafari stressed that “Egypt is a friend and a sister to Iraq”, noting that Egypt does not suffer from sectarian fanaticism, while praising the Egyptian nation.

Jafaari also pointed out the “referendum on the independence of Kurdistan from Iraq is unconstitutional and illegal,” noting that 17percent of the Iraqi general budget goes to Kurdistan.

The Iraqi FM described the Arab League's decision to stand against the separation of Kurdistan from Iraq as “bold and direct” and supports the sovereignty of Iraq and its unity, while noting that Israel supports that kind of step.

Earlier this month, the parliament of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region approved a plan to hold a an independence referendum on September 25, ignoring Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish opposition as well as U.S and Western concern that the vote could cause new conflicts in the region, according to Reuters.