Senator Lindsey Graham reaffirms US commitment to Iraq

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – US Senator Lindsey Graham visited Baghdad and Erbil on Monday and Tuesday to meet with senior Iraqi and Kurdish officials to discuss the United States' "strategic priorities" in Iraq, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Baghdad. 

On Monday, Graham and US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, President Barham Salih, and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi. On Tuesday, they went to Erbil and met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. 

"In his meetings, Senator Graham expressed support for America's strategic priorities in Iraq: fostering stability and economic growth, bolstering democracy and governance, and ensuring security and sovereignty," read the release. 

"The Senator reaffirmed our commitment to Iraq as one of America's most important strategic partners in the region and highlighted the importance of strengthening Iraq's democracy."

The release also revealed that Graham "reviewed the US efforts to strengthen the US-Iraq relationship under the Strategic Framework Agreement, including through humanitarian and stabilization assistance, economic cooperation, anti-corruption efforts, the protection of human rights, women's empowerment, and academic and cultural exchanges.

The senator also discussed the current political developments in Iraq, particularly the Erbil-Baghdad issues, with President Barzani during his Tuesday visit to Erbil, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency. 

During their meeting, Barzani said that resolving the issues between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Government of Iraq is "the key" to maintaining stability and solving the other problems in the country. 

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