LOC12:22
09:22 GMT
WASHINGTON, April 16 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defense relationship and global coalition to defeat the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.
US Department of Defense said in a press release on Monday that "the Secretary and the Prime Minister affirmed the two nations' commitment to an enduring US-Iraq bilateral defense relationship and to a strong Iraq, capable of self-defense in support of a more stable and peaceful region."
It said, "Secretary Austin thanked Prime Minister Sudani for Iraq's role in supporting operations by the Global Coalition to ensure ISIS can never reconstitute in Iraq and Syria, noting noted Iraq's leadership in repatriating more than 4,100 Iraqi nationals from displacement camps and detention facilities in northeastern Syria last year."
It added, "The Secretary paid tribute to the immense sacrifices of the Iraqi people and security forces in the fight to liberate millions from ISIS's genocidal and barbaric rule."
On his part, "Prime Minister Al-Sudani affirmed the importance of accelerating such repatriations of Iraqi nationals and facilitating their safe reintegration."
Both parties "discussed efforts to modernize the ISF, including Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and build their capabilities through a broad range of train and equip activities supporting the security forces funded with the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF)."
"Iraqi Prime Minister and the US Secretary of Defense hailed the signing of a joint work protocol recognizing the intended FMS purchase by Iraq worth nearly $550M using the new Credit Assured Payment Schedule (CAPS) flexible payment mechanism," said US Defense Secretary.
It added that "Iraq will be the first nation to use the CAPS financing opportunity, for which terms of sale allow Iraq to make payments towards the FMS case over time rather than all up front - a sign of the strength of US-Iraq partnership now and into the future."
During their meeting, they also highlighted ongoing efforts between the two countries to secure key sites across Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, from aerial threats.
In this regard, the release stated that "Iraqi Prime Minister and the US Secretary of Defense look forward to Iraq and the United States convening strategic discussions on the future of the US-Iraq security relationship - pursuant to the 2008 US-Iraqi Strategic Framework Agreement - at the second Joint Security Cooperation Dialogue later this year."
US-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee held its second meeting in Washington with the presence of an Iraqi delegation headed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani. (end)
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