Iraq and Italy move toward judicial cooperation agreement

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council President Judge Faiq Zidan met with Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation President Pasquale D'Ascola in Baghdad to discuss judicial and legal cooperation between the two countries. The two sides agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding between their supreme judicial institutions in the coming period. The Supreme Judicial Council said the meeting marked a concrete step in that direction. Zidan had traveled to Rome the previous day in response to an official invitation from his Italian counterpart, with the Baghdad talks completing his program. The engagement was described as part of the formal framework of cooperation between the judicial institutions of Iraq and Italy. No further details on the timing or content of the planned memorandum were immediately available.