Investment conf. widens Baghdad’s relations with Washington – Maliki

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on Tuesday that holding the special investment conference on Iraq in Washington asserted that relations between Iraq and the U.S. have widened to include economic, trade, scientific and cultural fields, according to a statement of his office. “This came during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington,” said the statement received by IraqiNews.com news agency. At the meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, al- Maliki noted that gaining investors in Iraq was critical to help cover the costs of reconstruction. “The meeting focused also on ways of beefing up bilateral relations as well as issues of mutual concern,” al-Maliki said, noting that an Iraqi-Americal committee was formed to deal with important issues such as borders and getting Iraq out of the Chapter VII. He stressed Iraq’s keenness to solve all differences with Kuwait for the good of the two people and for security and stability in the region. The investment conference that gets underway Tuesday is a key part of forging cooperation between the two countries to build Iraq’s economy. SH (P) 1