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Senior U.S. Defense official visits Iraq

19 October 2012 02:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter traveled to Iraq Thursday and met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and acting Minister of Defense Saadoun Dlimi, the Pentagon said, APA reports.

According to a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, Carter "stressed the importance of the United States defense and security relationship with Iraq and reiterated the U.S. commitment to that relationship."

Carter also thanked Maliki and Dlimi for their continued partnership and discussed ways to broaden and strengthen U.S.-Iraq strategic cooperation given the challenges of the region, stressing the important role that Iraq has in regional stability, and U.S.-Iraqi cooperation on matters of mutual strategic interest continue to be "more vital than ever."

The meetings were part of a series of senior U.S. official visits to Iraq focusing on deepening relations between the two governments and the continued "implementation of the Strategic Framework Agreement," said Little.

Senior U.S. officials have been visiting Iraq with regularity recently. Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough visited that country earlier this week.