Readout of Vice President Biden’s Call with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki

Vice President Biden spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today. The Vice President expressed his condolences on behalf of the American people for the victims of terrorist violence in Iraq. Both leaders confirmed the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation under the Strategic Framework Agreement to support Iraq's efforts in finding those responsible for the recent attacks and bringing them to justice. The Vice President emphasized that al Qaeda remains a shared enemy of Iraq, the United States, and the entire world. He also noted recent improvements in the political atmosphere and encouraged continued outreach to national and local leaders across the political spectrum. Regarding the situation in Syria, the two leaders discussed the importance of working together to isolate extremists on all sides of the conflict there.