COPENHAGEN- Denmark said on Thursday it plans to open an embassy in Baghdad this autumn as part of its efforts to help combat Islamic State and contribute to the stabilisation of the situation in both Iraq and Syria.
"With our commitment, we help to ensure that Islamic State doesn't once again gain a foothold in the region and thus the opportunity to threaten Europe and Denmark," Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said in a statement.
Denmark will use its representation to strengthen the dialogue with Iraq in areas such as migration, counter-terrorism and prosecution of crimes committed by Islamic State, he said.
Denmark takes over the leadership of a NATO-led mission training Iraqi security forces from Canada by the end of 2020.
(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen Editing by Gareth Jones) ((copenhagen.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; +45 3274 2001; Reuters Messaging: jacob.pedersen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
