A spokesman for the Iraqi Government visited the United States to discuss the progress in Iraq, the White House said Thursday. Ali al-Dabbagh, the spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who spoke to members of the press, last came to the White House in April of last year, the White House said. Dabbagh spoke about the major issues facing Iraq, especially the threat of a Turkish invasion into northern Iraq because of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the White House said. Dabbagh maintained Maliki's position that is calling for diplomacy in dealing with northern Iraq's Kurdish region, he said. Dabbagh made clear that “Turkey is very important partner with Iraq.” The “Iraqi government is calling on the Turkish government not to use the military solution and refrain from crossing Iraqi borders. The government of Iraq understands the great sufferings of Turkish people from terrorist attack of PKK. Iraqi government is doing its utmost to ban the activities of PKK in northern of Iraq,” he said.
