Maliki’s Washington visit to review SOFA

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A visit to be paid by Iraqi Prime Minister to Washington on Sunday would include his participation in an investment conference on Iraq as well as meet U.S. President Barack Obama to review the status of forces agreement (SOFA) signed between the two countries, a lawmaker said. “Maliki’s visit acquires special importance as a large conference there would help bring investments to Iraq,” Abbas al-Bayyati, a legislator from the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), told IraqiNews.com news agency. The Iraqi premier headed to Washington on Sunday (Oct. 18) leading an official high-ranking delegation comprising Iraqi ministries to attend an investment conference where several foreign investment corporations would be represented. “The visit also involves a meeting between Prime Minister Maliki and U.S. President Obama to discuss the security pact and means to activate the framework agreement on economic, trade and cultural cooperation,” Bayyati added. AmR (P) 1