BRUSSELS, June 9 (UPI) -- European Union foreign policy chiefs made a surprise visit to Baghdad Thursday to offer the 25-member bloc's support to the new Iraqi government.
European foreign policy head Javier Solana, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw and his Luxembourg counterpart Jean Asselborn met with the prime minister and president of Iraq ahead of an EU-U.S. sponsored conference in Brussels on June 22.
"Our presence today underlines that the European Union is fully committed to a secure, stable, unified and democratic Iraq that will make a positive contribution to the stability of the region," said Solana.
The EU has pledged to train 770 Iraqi police officers and judges in a mission expected to start later this month. It has also earmarked almost $1.5 for humanitarian and reconstruction aid.
