Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit visited Iraq on Sunday to mark the opening of Egypt's first consulate outside of the capital, in the northern city of Irbil. His visit is the first high-level one by a Foreign Minister to Iraq since the formation of a new government, DPA reported. Iraqi diplomat Lubeid Abbawi said the minister's trip is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and discussing partnerships between the two countries, according to Aswat al-Iraq news agency. In addition, the foreign minister was scheduled to meet with officials to discuss preparations for next year's Arab League Summit to be held in Baghdad. Aboul-Gheit is also slated to meet with political figures in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region, where the new consulate will open. Egypt has previously said it plans to open two more consulates, one in Mosul in the north and the other in Basra in the south.
