Secretary Kerry Welcomes Foreign Minister Zebari to Washington; Minister Zebari Co-chairs Iraqi-U.S. Joint Coordination Committee Meeting
Foreign Minister Zebari, who is visiting Washington this week, attended the (SFA) Joint Coordination Committee for Diplomatic and Political Affairs meeting at the U.S. State Department. The meeting was co-chaired by Minister Zebari and Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs.
On Thursday, August 15, 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed Minister Zebari and Ambassador Faily along with the minister’s high level delegation to the State Department in Washington, DC, where they participated in the Iraqi-U.S. Joint Coordination Committee meeting. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Zebari and Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs. The committee stems from the Strategic Framework Agreement, which serves as the foundation for a long-term bilateral relationship between Iraq and the United States.
Prior to the meeting, Secretary Kerry and Minister Zebari delivered remarks, with both sides pledging continued support for bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States.
Minister Zebari reiterated that Iraq is a dependable ally and partner to the United States. Secretary Kerry stressed that the U.S. is committed to working with Iraq to address regional challenges and welcomes steps by Iraqis to build a democratic and inclusive state.
The meeting marked the fourth convention of the Political and Diplomatic Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and builds on Secretary Kerry’s visit to Iraq in March 2013 – in which he noted that Iraq has since taken a number of noteworthy diplomatic strides – including improvement of the internal political processes and forward-looking relations with Kuwait.
The current political and security situation in Iraq was also discussed, as well as the importance of addressing terrorist operations in the region, and further, the repercussions on the country and the region. “The key message here: We’ve come here to seek your help and support and security cooperation with the Iraqi Government,” said Foreign Minister Zebari.
Secretary Kerry acknowledged the challenges that still remain in Iraq and stressed that the two countries will face them together, with a focus on the common roadmap in this endeavor being the Strategic Framework Agreement.
Thanking Secretary Kerry for his welcoming remarks, Foreign Minister Zebari said, “We have together endured many challenges, Mr. Secretary, and our mutual relationship have continued engagement of the United States. We’ve always emphasized the importance, the significance, of continued U.S. engagement, which is critical for the success of Iraq and the Iraqi people on our ongoing transformation to a stable, inclusive, democratic, and prosperous country in the heart of the Middle East.”
