Iraq: Bush, Talabani, Al-Maliki and the future of US oil companiesnote

US President George W. Bush paid a farewell visit to Baghdad on 14/12/08. He met with President Jalal Talabani and PM Nuri Al-Maliki. Reports from Baghdad suggest that Bush reminded Talabani and Al-Maliki of their promises to give priority to the US oil, industrial and security companies in major projects in Iraq. The following 343-word newswire focuses on the reactions of Talabani and Al-Maliki as well as on those of leading Shiite cleric Ali Sistani and Oil Minister Hussein Al-Shahrastani.