Washington – A senior US State Department official confirmed yesterday, Thursday, that the security and defense partnership between the United States and Iraq will be an important part of the talks of Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani during his visit to Washington last week, but it is not the focus of the visit.
The official, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, added that Sudanese’s visit will focus on economic relations, even as Washington and Baghdad are holding talks regarding ending the US-led military alliance in the country.
US forces and Shiite armed groups have exchanged attacks in the past few months amid a regional conflict linked to the Israeli war in Gaza, which led to Sudanese announcing in January his intention to end the US military presence.
The senior State Department official said that defense and security relations will be part of the discussions during Al-Sudani’s visit, when he meets with President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, as well as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
The official said that this “is likely to be a very important part of our discussion… This is not the main focus of the visit… but it is certainly a possibility.”
He added that the visit would focus instead on the economy and issues including education, the environment, and American support for development, without elaborating.
“The discussions will address everything related to our relationship and where it is headed,” he said.
It is noteworthy that the United States invaded Iraq in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein and withdrew in 2011, until the forces returned in 2014 to help fight the Islamic State, which had invaded large parts of the country.
Washington and Baghdad began talks in January to reassess the presence of the US-led military coalition there.
The official suggested that these talks would lead to a second dialogue for joint security cooperation later this year.
Source: Reuters
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2024-04-12 22:21:42