US Defense Secretary Robert Gates (C) is met by US Army Gen. Lloyd Austin (R), commanding general of U.S. Forces in Iraq, after arriving in Baghdad, Iraq, April 6, 2011. Gates is expected to meet with civilian and military leaders in Iraq to discuss the long-term strategic partnership between the two countries.

BAGHDAD -- US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived here Wednesday evening to hold talks with senior Iraqi officials over the political and security situations here as well as cooperation between the two countries.

According to a press release from the US forces, Gates travelled to Baghdad from Saudi Arabia after his meeting with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz earlier Wednesday.

During his three-day tour in Iraq, Gates plans to hold talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani and Kurdish regional government leader Masoud Barzani about the vacancy for the sensitive security-related ministers as US forces are planning to fully withdraw.

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Gates is expected to reiterate the US commitment for long and strong cooperation between Washington and Baghdad, according to media reports.

Maliki formed his Shiite-led government last December after months of hard negotiations with different political sects. However, the parties failed to reach agreement over the candidates for defense, interior and national security ministers.

Maliki himself has been serving as acting ministers for the three portfolios since December last year.

By mid-2010, US troops in Iraq had been reduced to below 50,000 soldiers. Washington said that the remaining US troops in Iraq are conducting support and training missions.

US military forces are to pull out completely from Iraq by the end of 2011 according to a security pact signed by the two countries in late 2008.