U.S. official visits Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Michael O. Leavitt is currently paying an official visit to Iraq, according to the U.S. embassy in Iraq on Monday. “Leavitt will hold a joint press conference with Iraqi Health Minister Saleh al-Hassanawi today afternoon at the joint information center in the (heavily-fortified) green zone in central Baghdad,” read the embassy release as received by IraqiNews.com. Another U.S. embassy release read that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Goli Ameri is also paying an official visit to Iraq. The release did not give more details. Ameri, born Goli Yazdi on September 26, 1956, is an Iranian-American politician, diplomat and businesswoman from the U.S. State of Oregon. She ran for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican in 2004 and is a former delegate to the United Nations. She was born in Tehran, Iran. AmR (P) 1