Middle East News
US Vice President Biden makes surprise Iraq visit
Nov 29, 2011, 19:29 GMT
Washington - US Vice President Joe Biden arrived for a surprise visit to Baghdad late Tuesday to mark the end of the US military involvement in Iraq.
Biden is set to meet to Iraqi leaders and US troops ahead of the year-end deadline for the complete US withdrawal, the White House announced.
He will lead a meeting of the US-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee to discuss ongoing cooperation on issues such as diplomacy, trade, law enforcement and defence.
He is also due to hold talks with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, parliamentary speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and other political leaders, and speak at an event honouring US and Iraqi troops.
President Barack Obama announced last month that all US troops would leave the country by the end of the year, after more than eight years of military involvement in the country.
Efforts to extend the US mission beyond the long-standing deadline failed following the Iraqi government's reluctance to grant immunity to troops that would have remained after December.
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