US praises Iraq-Kuwait talks

US Coordinator for the Middle East, Philip Gordon, praised the efforts exerted by the Iraqi government to improve relations with Kuwait on Friday. Gordon met with Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari to discuss establishing a committee between the US and Iraq to work on a strategic agreement for long-term peace in the region. The recent developments in the Syrian conflict were also addressed – including the international efforts to resolve the crisis and potential repercussion on global security. After the meeting, Zebari said in a statement: “Iraq’s efforts to stablise relations with Kuwait have been met with approval by the US. The Iraqi government is working successfully towards being released from the Seventh Chapter of the UN's Charter.” Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace and security".