Iraqi PM to pay official visit to UK: statement

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is expected to pay an official visit to Britain.

A statement by the ministry said Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein received in his office the British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey, and the two discussed al-Kadhimi's visit to Britain, without giving further details about the date of the visit.

"They also touched on developments of issues of common interests in the region and the world," the brief statement said.

Hussein also said the Iraqi government has taken security measures to provide a suitable environment for the work of all diplomatic missions in Baghdad.

Unidentified militant groups frequently fire mortar rounds on Iraqi military bases housing US-led coalition forces as well as the US embassy in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, where the main Iraqi government offices and some foreign embassies are located.

Britain is part of a US-led international coalition tasked with helping the Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Islamic State militants by carrying out airstrikes against their positions in Iraq and Syria as well as providing military equipment and training for Iraqi forces.