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Top US Diplomat Heads to Persian Gulf for High-Level Talks

   VOA News 09 January 2011
   US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (file photo)

Photo: AP

   US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (file photo)

   U.S.  Secretary  of  State  Hillary Clinton is en route to the Persian
   Gulf  region  seeking  Arab support for tougher penalties against Iran
   for  its  nuclear  activities,  and  to  help  bolster  the  new Iraqi
   government.
   Secretary  Clinton, who left Washington late Saturday, will make stops
   in  the  United  Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar during the next several
   days.
   State  Department  officials  say  she will brief Gulf leaders on U.S.
   expectations  for the next round of nuclear talks with Iran, scheduled
   for  late  next week in Istanbul. They said the top U.S. diplomat will
   also  discuss  ways  to  help  Gulf  nations  to better adhere to U.N.
   sanctions against Iran.
   On  Iraq,  State  Department  officials  say Washington will urge more
   countries in the area to open embassies in Baghdad.
   In  Qatar  next Thursday, Clinton will participate in the Forum of the
   Future,  a  civil  society  initiative  joining Arab countries and the
   Group  of  Eight  industrialized  nations.  The  forum brings together
   government leaders and members of non-governmental organizations.
   This  will be Clinton's second trip to the Gulf in as many months. She
   participated  in  a  global  security  conference  in Bahrain in early
   December.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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