* Obama, VP meet Hill, Odierno to review developments in Iraq
February 18, 2010 · Posted in NEWS
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesP…49&Language=en
Politics 2/18/2010 9:13:00 AM
WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (KUNA) — US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met late Wednesday with US Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill and General Ray Odierno, Commanding General of the US Forces-Iraq (USF-I), to discuss developments in Iraq, it was announced here.

The Office of the vice president said that the meeting comes to “review political, economic, and security developments in Iraq.” It added that they discussed “the importance of broad participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections and reaffirmed US support for Iraqi efforts to promote national unity.” They also discussed “how to develop US partnership with Iraq in sectors such as the economy and education,” the statement added.

Ambassador Hill and General Odierno will also participate in a meeting on Iraq which the vice president will chair with principals on Friday, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Hill told reporters during a briefing yesterday on the upcoming elections in Iraq and the US-Iraqi relations, that he and Odierno will meet on Friday with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and also with Vice President Biden in two other meetings.

As for the importance of the upcoming Iraqi elections, Hill stressed that “this is a major undertaking.” “It is an election that in many respects will determine the future of Iraq, the future of the US, and also the future of the US relationship with Iraq,” he affirmed.

He also said, “For us, this is a very important election because it’s an important election that will enable us to continue to develop what we see as a long-term and very important relationship, strategic relationship, with the Republic of Iraq.” The US ambassador added that this is an “important year” in which the US forces will be reduced, so that by the end of August, there will be about 50, 000 troops in Iraq “who will be engaged in or grouped in advise-and-assist brigades and will no longer be engaged in combat operations.” According to Hill, “Security remains a challenge in Iraq, but the long-term trends are very clear toward a better security situation. Politics is something one has to monitor and one has to buckle one’s seatbelt for in Iraq, but we do see a country that is not only embracing politics but one that is also embracing democracy.”(end) si.ema KUNA 180913 Feb 10NNNN