Kurdish president meets U.S. general

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani received General Austin, the deputy commander of multi-national forces in Iraq and his accompanied delegation on the occasion of ending his mission in Iraq in Salah el-Din Resort on Thursday April 2nd, 2009, according to a statement of the Kurdish presidency. “The meeting tackled several issues regarding Kirkuk and Mosul provinces, the provincial councils’ elections and their results and the political and security situations in Iraq,” the statement highlighted. General Austin thanked President Barzani for his support and cooperation and hoped this support to continue with his alternative General Jacobi. “The meeting was held in the presence of the minister of Peshmerga General Omer Othman, head of Kurdistan region presidency divan Fuad Hussein, the head of the Kurdistan RegionG Department of Foreign Relations Falah Mustafa and a number of military officials,” the statement added. “In the end, they emphasized the necessity of continuing the cooperation and collaboration between the multi-national forces, Iraqi army and Peshmerga forces to achieve security and stability,” it said. SH (S) 1