Friday, March 16, 2007
Second Iraq security meeting in early April
Security, International
(AFP) - A new international conference on Iraq that will see US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sit alongside her Iranian and Syrian counterparts could be held as early as April 1, a senior US official said Thursday. A location for the meeting has not yet been made public, but the United States has said it would prefer to gather in Istanbul.
A first meeting dubbed an Iraq neighbors conference but which also included diplomats from other Arab states and the five permanent UN Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- was held March 10 in Baghdad. Those talks focused on efforts to stabilize the US-backed Baghdad government and end sectarian and insurgent violence that Washington has said it fueled by Iran and Syria.
During the meeting the US ambassador to Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, held direct talks with senior Iranian officials in the highest level contact between the two states in more than four years. The April meeting is due to include the foreign ministers of the same countries plus Japan and Canada.
A first meeting dubbed an Iraq neighbors conference but which also included diplomats from other Arab states and the five permanent UN Security Council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the US -- was held March 10 in Baghdad. Those talks focused on efforts to stabilize the US-backed Baghdad government and end sectarian and insurgent violence that Washington has said it fueled by Iran and Syria.
During the meeting the US ambassador to Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, held direct talks with senior Iranian officials in the highest level contact between the two states in more than four years. The April meeting is due to include the foreign ministers of the same countries plus Japan and Canada.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, Iran, security talks, Syria, Turkey
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Iranian, Syrian envoys likely to join in Baghdad security talks
Region, Politics, Security
(AP) Envoys from the West and Islamic nations - including Iran, Syria and the United States - are expected to attend a conference next month on efforts to stabilize Iraq, a diplomatic adviser said Tuesday. The meeting, planned for mid-March in the Iraqi capital, is an attempt by the U.S.-backed government to seek greater regional assistance in fighting insurgents and addressing tensions between Iraq's majority Shiite Muslims and Sunnis.
Some nations had expressed reservations about taking part in the conference because of security worries and political sensitivities. Some of Iraq's Sunni neighbors are wary about being seen as lending too much support to the Shiite-led government. But Labed Abbawi, an adviser to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, said "there has been positive responses" from nearly all the nations and groups invited, which include Iraq's neighbors, the Arab League and the five permanent U.N. Security Council members. "We believe all will attend," he said. No date has been set.
Some nations had expressed reservations about taking part in the conference because of security worries and political sensitivities. Some of Iraq's Sunni neighbors are wary about being seen as lending too much support to the Shiite-led government. But Labed Abbawi, an adviser to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, said "there has been positive responses" from nearly all the nations and groups invited, which include Iraq's neighbors, the Arab League and the five permanent U.N. Security Council members. "We believe all will attend," he said. No date has been set.
Labels: Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Iran, security talks, Syria, U.S.
