Baghdad, Former President of the Republic, Barham Salih, stressed the pivotal role of Iraq in achieving regional integration among the countries of the region. Salih said in a press interview, "Iraq must be a bridge in regional integration and consensus among the countries of the region because Iraq's chaos and instability are a problem for everyone." He added, "Anyone who thinks that he can control Iraq despite the will of its people is wrong. Iraq is a country that is not subject to control and cannot be controlled in this way." He pointed out that "Iraq is historically the determinant of regional balances due to its important geographical and historical location, and it represents an important diversity in the Middle East." Source: National Iraqi News Agency