Talabani to meet with Bush at White House

Left: Jalal Talabani has been president of Iraq since 2005. Along with Kurdish President Barzani he is the most influential Kurd in government. His trip to the United States was originally announced as being for a medical checkup for 'weight loss issues', and exactly coincided with the arrival of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the most powerful Shi'ite politician in Iraq's parliament for 'medical treatment'. Both visits also coincided with reports of U.S. plans to oust Prime Minister Maliki.

President George W. Bush will meet at the White House on Thursday with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is on an extended trip to the United States that includes a stop for medical treatment.

Bush, meanwhile, spoke by secure video conference on Wednesday with the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, and the country's two vice presidents, Tariq al-Hashimi and Adel Abdul-Mahdi. In the 40-minute call, the leaders talked about combating violence and making progress toward political and economic reconciliation, White House press secretary Tony Snow said.

"There was gratitude for America's continued support," said Snow, who also announced Talabani's visit.

Talabani left Iraq on Sunday for his visit of almost three weeks in the United States. He arrived Sunday night in Rochester, Minnesota, where he left a car surrounded by several security guards and entered the Mayo Clinic, a local television broadcast showed.

Read the rest at the International Herald Tribune

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