By NNN-KUNA,
Baghdad : US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has called on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki here to discuss the security situation in Iraq.
Gates, who started his ninth unannounced visit to Baghdad in his capacity as secretary Monday, noticed a great improvement in the security in Iraq since his first visit to the Arab country two years ago, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi government.
The improvement is the fruit of effective cooperation between the Iraqi forces and the Multi-National Forces in Iraq, the statement quoted Gates as saying during the meeting.
The two sides share the goals of stabilizing Iraq, uprooting the terrorist organisations and rebuild the Iraqi armed forces, he pointed out.
“Gates renewed the US commitment to back the Iraqi government in its efforts to restore stability and security across the country,” according to the statement.
For his part, Al-Maliki shared Gates’ view that the security of Iraq had greatly improved thanks to Iraq-MNF cooperation. “The successes made by the Iraqi government in restoring the rule of law and order provided ground for return of the internally-displaced people to their homes, revival of economy and normalizing life in Iraq,” the statement quoted the prime minister as saying to his guest.
“The outlook of the political, economic and security life in Iraq is totally different from what it had been some years ago,” he underscored.
Gates is scheduled to preside over a ceremony on Tuesday to hand command of the US-led MNF to Lt-Gen Raymond Odierno from Gen David Petraeus whose term in office has expired.