President receives Welch

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani received on Thursday David Welch, CEO of the U.S.-based firm Bechtel, who was also Assistant Secretary of State under George W. Bush’s presidency. “Talabani and Welch have strong friendly ties,” said a presidential release received by IraqiNews.com news agency. It said that Talabani praised the role Welch had played when he was in the State Department to reinforce fraternity and peace in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. MH (P)/AmR 1