Iraqi PM will visit U.S. to meet Trump on Aug. 20

by **chouchou** Sat 08 Aug 2020, 10:07 am

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Iraqi PM will visit U.S. to meet Trump on Aug. 20

by chouchou Sat 08 Aug 2020, 10:07 am

BAGHDAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi will pay an official visit to the United States to meet with the U.S. President Donald Trump on August 20 for talks on bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields.

Al-Kadhimi would head a government delegation on his visit, which came at an official invitation from the United States, said a statement by the Premier's office without saying when al-Kadhimi would leave.

The visit will include discussing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as bilateral relations and means to enhance cooperation in the fields of security, energy, economy, and investment, the statement said.

The relations between Baghdad and Washington have witnessed a tension since Jan. 3 when a U.S. drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

However, on June 11, U.S. and Iraqi officials launched a strategic dialogue session via video conference in which the United States pledged to continue reducing its forces in Iraq and confirmed that it does not seek permanent military presence in the country.

More than 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants, mainly for training and advisory purposes. Enditem

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by **chouchou** Sat 08 Aug 2020, 10:08 am

chouchou

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Post n°2

Trump to meet Iraqi PM Mustafa Al Kadhimi as ties recover

by chouchou Sat 08 Aug 2020, 10:08 am

US President Donald Trump will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi in Washington this month, the White House said on Friday, highlighting a turnaround in relations since the Iraq's US-friendly leader took office.

Tensions between the two states increased in January after the US killed Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, prompting Iraqi politicians to demand the expulsion of the 5,200 US troops in the country.

The hostility has calmed substantially since Mr Al Kadhimi – an ex-spy chief with ties to the US and its allies in the region – took the reins as Iraq's prime minister in May.

The White House said the August 20 visit came at a "critical time" in the fight against ISIS and the myriad problems posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"As close partners, the United States and Iraq will look to expand our relations," the White House added.

A Washington invitation was the type of diplomatic approach never received by Mr Al Kadhimi's predecessor, Adel Abdel Mahdi, who was forced to resign by months of protests.

Mr Al Kadhimi took office in April, becoming the third Iraq head of state in a chaotic 10-week period that followed months of deadly protests in the country, which has been exhausted by decades of sanctions, war, corruption and economic challenges.

He is trying to balance Iraq's relations with both Washington and Tehran.

Last month, he visited Iran and said relations between the two nations would have to be based on non-interference.

“The two countries are facing economic challenges and our people are dependent on us, and this service will not take place without co-operation between Iraq and Iran,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.

“The people of Iraq want good relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran based on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of both countries.

“Iraq is a country that won’t allow any aggression or challenge to Iran from its territory.”

It was his first official trip abroad since taking office and he met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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