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Tillerson to Attend First Meeting Between Saudis, Iraqis

by VOA News

   The U.S. State Department announced Thursday that Secretary of State
   Rex Tillerson will attend the first meeting next week between the Saudi
   Arabian and Iraqi governments that are aimed at strengthening relations
   between the two countries.

   While in Riyadh, Tillerson will "meet with various Saudi leaders to
   discuss the conflict in Yemen, the ongoing Gulf dispute, Iran, and a
   number of other important and regional and bilateral issues," the
   statement reads.

   The meeting will be held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh four months
   after the two countries signed an agreement to establish a council to
   improve relations between the neighboring countries in an attempt to
   counter Iran's broad influence in the region.

   Tillerson's visit to Riyadh will be one of several to countries in the
   Persian Gulf region and Asia between October 20 and October 27.

   Tillerson will then meet with Qatar leaders and U.S. military officials
   in the capital of Doha to discuss "joint counterterrorism efforts" and
   "other regional and bilateral issues," before visiting India, Pakistan
   and Switzerland.

   The trip will mark Tillerson's first visit to South Asia. He will meet
   Pakistani leaders in Islamabad, and senior Indian officials in New
   Dehli to discuss continue bilateral cooperation, strategic partnerships
   and regional security issues.

   In Geneva, Tillerson will discuss "a number of the current global
   humanitarian crises" when he meets with officials from the United
   Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization
   for Migration, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

   The State Department did not disclose the specific dates Tillerson will
   visit the countries that are included in the announcement.