The US ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill has stated that America will continue to build on its cooperative framework with Iraq and Kuwait in order to promote economic growth, strengthen political relationships and foster greater cultural understanding between the countries.

Aswat Al-Iraq reports that his comments came at a conference marking the opening of a new motorway linking Baghdad and Basra through Babel.

"Washington seeks to abide by the security agreement between the US and Iraq because it set up mutual trust between the countries," he said.

Mr Hill went on to state that the US is working hard to lift the chapter seven sanctions imposed on Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait in 1991.

Last month, US army major general Mike Milano, the deputy commanding officer in Iraq, visited the Kirkuk Oil Police Training Site to assess the progress being made in training a national taskforce that will protect the country's oil infrastructure as it moves towards autonomy.

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