August 15, 2014 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“Canada welcomes the news that Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s former prime minister, who had been vying for a third term in office, has agreed to step aside in support of Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi. This development means that Iraq can now focus all its attention on building a unified, representative government capable of confronting the threat posed by the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
“We call on Prime Minister-designate al-Abadi and on all parliamentarians to put aside ethnic and religious divides to work together to form a government that will benefit the Iraqi people.
“Canada stands ready to offer additional assistance in the struggle against ISIL. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced earlier today that Canada will deploy a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130J Hercules and a CC-177 Globemaster, along with their crew of approximately 30 Canadian Armed Forces personnel, to assist in the delivery of critical military supplies from contributing allies to Kurdish forces fighting ISIL.
“Canada is committed to working with an inclusive Iraqi government and with our allies in order to protect all Iraqi citizens, regardless of ethnic origin and religious belief.”
— 30 —
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter: @DFATDCanada
Like us on Facebook: Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada-DFATD
