U.S. Defense Secretary arrives in Arbil

ARBIL / IraqiNews.com: U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has arrived in north Iraq Kurdistan’s Capital of Arbil on Tuesday, where he conferred with Kurdistan President, Massoud Barzani and Kurdistan Premier, Barham Saleh, an Arbil media source reported. “The New U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, has arrived in Arbil this (Tuesday) morning and was received in Arbil International Airport, by Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani and Premier Barham Saleh,” the media source told IraqiNews.com news agency. “Panetta and Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani and Premier Barham Saleh, as well as former Premier Nichervan Barzani, have met to discuss several issues of joint interest,” the source noted, without providing further details. The U.S. Defense Secretary arrived in Baghdad on Sunday for a surprise official visit, where he met Iraq’s President, Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. SKH (TS)/SR 530