Legal Expert: Restoring relations contributes to recovering smuggled funds from Iraq and held by the Swiss Authorities

Legal Expert Counselor Salem Hawas confirmed that Switzerland's reopening of its Embassy in Baghdad is a door of international public law that emphasizes the necessity of restoring diplomacy after its interruption on the one hand, and contributing to reviewing agreements on the delivery of funds and the extradition of fugitive criminals. Hawas said in a statement: "The reopening of Switzerland's Embassy in Baghdad, after an interruption and closure that lasted more than 33 years due to the Gulf War in 1991, is a positive indicator. These relations were supposed to be restored since the beginning of the fall of the regime, not after 21 years have passed, because it is a time period that has missed the opportunity for Iraq, Iraqis, and the Iraqi judiciary to prevent the prosecution of criminals and public funds held in Switzerland." Hawass explained: "The Swiss Federal Council certainly aims, through this and through reopening the Embassy, to strengthen bilateral relations with Iraq and consolidate cooperatio n in the fields of justice, economic law, security and immigration. Therefore, these important relations must be invested in the judicial, legal, constitutional and economic levels and resolve the issue of smuggled funds from Iraqis and held by the Swiss authorities for more than 33 years." Hawass explained, "What confirms the good intentions of the Swiss side is the handing over of three smuggled artifacts dating back to the Assyrian civilization, which are the statue of the Assyrian sun god, and two murals dating back to the Assyrian era before Christ," which in our estimation confirms the good intentions, in addition to the handing over of the ancient artifacts dating back to the legal Hammurabi Stele, which the Iraqi government received from Switzerland two years ago. This ensures the credibility of legal, judicial and constitutional dealings and the principle of reciprocity. Source: National Iraqi News Agency