ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Romania has denied statements by Iraqi security officials last week claiming that the country is selling weapons to the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL).
“Romania strongly rejects these kinds of statements which are bitterly baseless,” the Romanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Rudaw through its consulate in Erbil.
It added that Iraq’s parliamentary Defense and Security Commission chief should “publicly present his apologies for his groundless accusations.”
“This type of slanderous statement could affect the bilateral relations between Romania and Iraq,” the statement read.
Hakim al-Zalmi, chief of Iraq’s parliamentary Defense and Security Commission, said last week that the ISIS insurgent group had a $300 million arms deal with Romania and called on Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to stop the agreement.
The Romanian Foreign Ministry said that its ambassador in Baghdad had met with Iraq’s Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jbouri and requested clarification on the allegations.
“Romania shall continue to support the Iraqi state in the fight against terrorism and the reestablishment of the climate of stability and security for all the ethnic and confessional entities within the Iraqi society,” read the ministry statement, which added that matter had also been raised with the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
Al-Zalmi had also said last November that aircraft loaded with arms from the former Soviet republics had landed at ISIS-controlled Tal Afar airport near Mosul.
The Romanian statement stressed that Romania is a participant in the international effort to combat “terrorism” in Iraq.
“Romania is a member of the international coalition against ISIL and reaffirms its commitment in combating transnational terrorism and its violent extremist phenomena,” the statement said.
