Iraq complains on US officials' visit to Kurdish north

US State Department spokesman James Rubin said in response to questions about a complaint from Iraq over the visit of US State Department officials to Kurdish areas in northern Iraq that the US is aware that the government of Iraq does not support such visits.

"We have from time to time sent delegations to Northern Iraq from the regional bureau there, to work with the Kurdish officials in Northern Iraq, to promote reconciliation between the officials there to ensure that they comply with and live up to the agreement they reached in Washington that the Secretary of State negotiated with them," he said, continuing, "So those visits do occur from time to time, and they generally occur without the support of the Iraqi Government. And we're aware that the Iraqi Government doesn't support such visits."

He said the US feels the visits are appropriate and plans to continue them.