Biden meets Iraqi PM on security

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Washington on the security situation in Iraq.

According to a White House statement, Biden hosted Maliki and his delegation for breakfast at the Naval Observatory, the vice presidential residence.

Biden and Maliki had a "friendly, constructive exchange," according to the White House, discussing "security challenges facing Iraq and the entire region."

Maliki is seeking U.S. arms for the Iraqi army, saying "the most important thing is to provide Iraq with weapons of an offensive nature to fight terrorism and hunt down the armed groups " at a brief press conference in Baghdad airport before his departure.

During the talks, Biden reiterated U.S. commitment to equip Iraqis to fight al-Qaeda, while Maliki made clear that he views the United States as Iraq's "security partner of choice."

The White House said the two leaders discussed the importance of taking a "comprehensive approach" to Iraq's security challenges, which includes political outreach to local leaders, as well as targeted security efforts.