Saudi Arabia named an ambassador to Baghdad, Iraqi Foreign Minister said on Tuesday. For its part, Iraq welcomed the move, saying it would quickly approve the nomination.

Saudi Arabia named an ambassador to Baghdad, Iraqi Foreign Minister said on Tuesday. For its part, Iraq welcomed the move, saying it would quickly approve the nomination.

"For the first time since 1990, the Saudis have named an ambassador to Iraq. This is a very positive development," Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters news agency, without elaborating.

Saudi Foreign Ministry spokesman Osama Nugali said: "We nominated our ambassador in Jordan as ambassador for Iraq as well, but he will not be residing in Iraq."

Iraqi Prime Minister Spokesman welcomed the Saudi move, adding that his government’s response would be quick.

"Iraq's response accepting this request will be quick," Nouri al-Maliki's spokesman Ali Mussawi told Agence France Press.
"The Iraqi government welcomes this step, and we consider it a first step, and we are waiting for more steps," such as "the appointment of a resident ambassador in the country," he said.

It will be the first time Saudi Arabia has had an ambassador to Iraq since 1990, when now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.