Middle East News
Ban Ki-moon arrives in Baghdad in unscheduled visit
Feb 6, 2009, 8:40 GMT
Baghdad - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon arrived Friday in Baghdad on an unannounced visit, media reports said.
Ban, whose visit comes a week after Iraq's historical provincial elections, met with President Jalal Talabani, Al-Arabiya news satellite channel reported.
A UN spokesman said Ban's visit was meant to reassure Baghdad about the UN's commitment to the country and to congratulate the Iraqi people on the success of provincial elections, Al-Arabiya reported.
Ban was expected to meet later with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose list prevailed in preliminary election results.
The UN chief arrived from Afghanistan, where the day before he had paid a likewise previously unannounced visit and had met with President Hamid Karzai. Ban stressed the world body's firm support for Afghanistan, saying it will be a key priority for the UN in 2009.
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