Baghdad, June 27 (IANS): Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani and the Commander of the NATO mission in Iraq discussed on Thursday cooperation between the two sides after the end of the US-led coalition mission in Iraq.

Al-Sudani received in his office Lucas Schreurs, who recently assumed command of the NATO mission in Iraq, as they discussed the security situation in the region as well as the NATO mission's cooperation with Iraqi security institutions in the fields of advisory, training, and intelligence coordination, according to a statement from al-Sudani's media office.

Al-Sudani stressed during the meeting the importance of developing bilateral cooperation with the NATO mission, following the end of the international coalition's mission in Iraq, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iraq and the US agreed in January to form a joint Higher Military Commission to end the international coalition's mission in Iraq, and the commission has held several meetings to work out a plan to withdraw the foreign troops from the country, according to Iraqi authorities.