Egypt says 36 FMs confirmed to attend international conference on Iraq

Foreign ministers from some 36 countries have confirmed to attend a conference on the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) due to be held in Egypt's Red Sea resort Sharm el-Sheikh on Thursday, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported on Monday.

Hisham el-Naqib, head of Egyptian Foreign Ministry's information and press department, was quoted as saying that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit will attend the opening ceremony.

A large number of regional and international organizations will also take part in the one-day conference, he added.

According to Naqib, the conference, which will include one open session and two closed sessions, will launch an initiative on Iraq by the end of the meeting.

There will also be a joint news conference at the end of the conference, he added.

The ICI is an Iraqi initiative cosponsored by the United Nations. It seeks to consolidate peace in the conflict-torn country and pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years.

Meanwhile, there will be another international meeting to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh on Friday, which will be attended by representatives of the countries neighboring Iraq as well as foreign ministers or senior officials from G-8 member states and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Naqib said a preparatory meeting for both conferences, aimed at helping the Iraqi government restore stability and reconstruction, will be held Wednesday at the level of senior officials.

Meetings of different levels will also be held on the sidelines of the two conferences, he added.

Source: Xinhua