Baghdad and Washington discuss Syria

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said relations are moving forward with the US following a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Wednesday. Maliki and Burns tackled the latest developments in the region, including the Syrian crisis; it was confirmed in a statement issued by the Iraqi PM Office received by Arabstoday. The pair discussed the developing the relations between Baghdad and Washington and activating the mutual cooperation under a strategic cooperation agreement. Burns arrival to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Wednesday noon was the second visit of a senior official in US department of state since the beginning of September. The first visit was by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Jones where she met with a number of Iraqi officials in Baghdad and Erbil.