IRBIL - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has met with the president of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, during the second day of his trip to Iraq.

The two held talks in the Kurdish regional capital Irbil on Wednesday as Mr. Gates attempted to bridge the divide between Iraq’s ethnic Kurds and majority Arabs.

On Tuesday, Gates met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Iraq’s Defense Minister Abd al Qadir Mohammed Jassem to discuss the future of American troops in the country and arms sales to Iraq.

The U.S. defense secretary also held talks with the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General Ray Odierno.

Secretary Gates says he and General Odierno are confident Iraqi troops are up to the challenge of securing urban areas, and eventually, the entire country, but that the U.S. stands ready to assist if called on.

Gates also says there are “important milestones to achieve” in Iraq before the final U.S. military pullout in 2011, including fair elections and the seating of a new national government.

Iraq’s defense minister stressed that his country’s top priority is to define a strategy to fight terrorism. He also said Iraq needs new U.S. fighter jets.

U.S. combat troops withdrew from Iraqi cities last month as part of a deal that requires U.S. troops to pull out entirely by the end of 2011.

Violence in Iraq has dropped sharply during the past year, but attacks increased in the weeks leading up to and following the June 30 withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq’s cities.

Source:  VOA News