(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with Iraqi Council of Representatives Speaker Salim Al-Jibouri to discuss a range of issues, the State Department announced.
They discussed the United States' "strong and continued support to Iraq under our Strategic Framework Agreement, the collective campaign to degrade and defeat ISIL, and the status of ongoing political initiatives to address the needs of the Iraqi people and to foster cooperation and reconciliation across all communities," the announcement said of the meeting, held late on Wednesday.
Blinken discussed the announcement by the White House to deploy additional U.S. military personnel to advise Iraqi forces, including local tribal fighters, to improve their ability to plan, lead and conduct operations against ISIL in Eastern Anbar, the statement said. He noted that this action was in support of the five-point plan put forward last month by the Iraqi Council of Ministers, which includes accelerating the training and equipping of Sunni volunteers and other steps toward assisting Anbaris retake their province from ISIL, it said.
Blinken thanked Jibouri for his leadership in the Council of Representatives in moving forward important legislation such as the federal budget passed in February and the National Guard bill, which has completed its second reading and awaits final discussion and vote by the Iraqi Parliament when it returns to session in July, the statement noted.
The Deputy Secretary "lauded the partnership between the Speaker and Prime Minister (Haider Al-) Abadi, and encouraged the Speaker to continue to work constructively across the Iraqi government to advance national reconciliation and other efforts to forge a durable security for Iraq," the statement said. Blinken "underscored the United States' steadfast support for the people of Iraq and their government in the fight against ISIL and underscored our commitment to help Iraqis reclaim their territory from ISIL," it said.
The two also discussed the deepening humanitarian crisis in Iraq, where 3 million people have been displaced since January 2014, the statement said. They noted "the urgent need" for additional support from the international community to address the humanitarian needs outlined in the UN's 500-million USD humanitarian appeal released in Brussels last week, it said Blinken emphasized the United States' more than decade-long support for displaced Iraqis, and noted the recent U.S. contribution of 200 million USD to support the humanitarian needs confronting the Iraqi people, the statement said.
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