US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said he was not ruling out changing plans for his visits to several former Soviet republics and Cyprus in light of the current developments in Iraq, including an attempted siege of the US Embassy
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st January, 2020) US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said he was not ruling out changing plans for his visits to several former Soviet republics and Cyprus in light of the current developments in Iraq, including an attempted siege of the US Embassy.On Tuesday, Iraqi Shiite protesters attempted to storm the gates of the US Embassy in Baghdad following airstrikes on an Iran-backed unit of the Popular Mobilization Forces operating in the country for allegedly launching an attack at a Kirkuk base that killed a US contractor.
"Well, I'm hoping I can still fulfill those commitments. I'm headed to Ukraine, and then to Central Asia, and then on to Cyprus. But I'll make sure I'm in the right place to ensure that our people, the people of the State Department and Americans, are safe and secure in the middle East. And if that means I have to change or delay my trip for a bit, that's what I'll do," he said in an interview with Fox news tv channel when asked about possible changes to his schedule.
The Iraqi president and prime minister condemned the embassy siege, in which a part of the embassy's outer fence was set alight. The Pentagon has dispatched marines to ensure diplomats' safety.
