U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, met with Nechirvan Barzani, visiting prime minister of the Kurdish regional government (KRG), to discuss recent developments in war-torn Iraq, including matters relating to the presence of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq Monday.

Neither Rice nor Barzani made a statement before or after their talks, but U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed that countering the northern Iraq-based PKK was on the agenda for the meeting.

During a meeting with Congressmen, Mr Barzani advanced an idea of formation of a U.S.-Kurdistan friendship group, Turtsia.ru reports.


Kurdistan PM also met with the Defense Secretary Robert Gates and CIA chief, general Michael Hayden.


"Jointly with Turkey, we are trying to find practicable solutions to many problems, including the PKK," Barzani said.