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Baghdad: Senior Lebanese politician Sa'ad Hariri met Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad on Thursday in a further sign the Iraqi government's ties with the Arab world are expanding.
Al Maliki will visit Germany and Italy next week to encourage European investment in Iraq.
Hariri praised recent security gains in Iraq, the government said in a statement. Violence has dropped to a four-year low.
Few senior Lebanese officials have visited Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003, but regional countries are starting to re-engage with the Shiite-led government.
Hariri, son of Lebanon's slain former prime minister Rafik Hariri, is the Sunni leader of Lebanon's majority parliamentary coalition.
He also heads a multi-billion dollar business empire, and his visit coincides with an Iraqi push for more foreign investment to help rebuild the country and provide jobs.
Last week Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan visited Baghdad, the first Turkish leader to do so since the US-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussain.
Abdullah visit
Jordan's King Abdullah is also due to visit soon, a trip that would make him the first Arab leader to travel to Iraq since the invasion.
Al Maliki will visit Germany and Italy next week to encourage European investment in Iraq, the government's spokesman said yesterday.
Ali Al Dabbagh said Al Maliki would first visit Germany during the July 21 to 25 trip. He would meet government leaders in both countries and also hold talks with Pope Benedict.
Al Dabbagh said the visits aimed to boost Baghdad's ties with European countries and encourage them to start investing in Iraq.
European interest in Iraq, especially in its massive energy potential, has grown, partly to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas.
Al Dabbagh said Al Maliki would brief Pope Benedict on the government's measures to spread tolerance and national reconciliation among Iraqis.
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