"Armitage Meets with Barzani
US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage made a surprise visit to Northern Iraq prior to visiting Ankara today.
Armitage met with Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Mesud Barzani. The main theme of the meeting held in Erbil (Arbil) on Saturday (January 1) was the Iraqi elections planned for January 30th. Armitage reportedly delivered a letter from US President George W. Bush that reiterated his support for the Kurdish public. Armitage arrived in Ankara last night. When asked about the letter, he said he did not bring any letter for the Kurdish leader. Armitage, second in command at the US State Department, will expectedly meet Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Speaker of the Parliament Bulent Arinc, and Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok during his visit. "
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