A ministerial meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) began in this Egyptian Red Sea resort on Thursday morning, with attendance of some 60 nations and 12 regional and international organizations.

The Egyptian foreign ministry said foreign ministers from some 15 nations attended the high-profile meeting, including the United States, Iran, Syria, Russia, China and Britain.

In his opening speech, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said the ICI was aimed to help build a united, democratic and secure Iraq with a strong economy.

Iraq will not achieve security without a national reconciliation, Abul Gheit said, adding that without security, the reconstruction efforts would be doomed to fail.

National reconciliation in Iraq was the basis for solving other problems in the war-torn nation, and it was also the guarantee for a united Iraq, he said, calling on the Iraqi government to fulfill its commitment for a national reconciliation under the ICI.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the Iraqi government has achieved remarkable progress in restoring peace and stability during the last several years.

The Iraqi government welcomed all Iraqis' efforts to acquire a national unity, he said, adding that arms and weapons should be controlled by the nation and the Iraqi government committed itself to solving the issue regarding various militant groups.

Maliki also called on all countries to forgive his country's foreign debts and assist the government, saying foreign fund would help bolster the Iraqi government and support Iraq's development in defense, which will facilitate the Iraqi armed forces to replace foreign troops to safeguard the country and the Iraqi people.

He said the Iraqi government needed support and help from the international community in reconstruction and achieving social, economic and political progress.

Taking his floor on the meeting, UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon said there is no doubt that more must be done to bring a halt to the ongoing violence in Iraq, "the brunt of which is being borne by innocent civilians" in Iraq.

"Beyond the terrorist attacks and sectarian violence, a humanitarian crisis is stretching the patience and ability of ordinary people to cope with everyday life," said Ban.

"Iraq is at a critical juncture. Political solutions are essential to building the foundations for a peaceful and prospect country," he added.

The ICI represented a road map for the next five years aimed at helping Iraq achieve its goals of economic prosperity, political stability and lasting security, according to the UN chief.

On her part, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hailed the ICI meeting as "a historic step" and "a beginning of a process, not an end of itself."

"The process (regarding the ICI) will grow and strengthen as more countries and organizations commit to support Iraq," Rice said, adding that Thursday's meeting signaled a willingness among relevant nations to strive for Iraq's prosperity.

The ICI implementation will need periodic consultations among all related parties to monitor and safeguard the Iraqi government to meet its commitments and benchmarks as well as to guarantee the inflow of aid pledged by donors, she said.

Rice said the U.S.-led coalition forces will continue providing security in Iraq and help the Iraqi forces to achieve security by themselves.

The ICI meeting, with the attendance of some 60 nations and 12 regional and international organizations, was the largest international meeting on Iraq since the U.S.-led coalition forces seized Baghdad in April of 2003.

The ICI was initially launched on July 28, 2006, in the hope of creating "a permanent partnership between Iraq and the international community" to help Iraq in its reconstruction efforts and to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years.

The initiative, with strong support from the United States, looks like a type of five-year plan for Iraq, yet it is also based on economic, political and security commitments by the Iraqi government in the next five years.

The ICI is supposed to be chaired jointly by Iraq and the UN, with the support of the World Bank.

The one-day ICI meeting gathered senior diplomats from Iraq's six neighbors -- Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait -- plus Bahrain, Egypt, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Conference and the UN.

Also attending are senior diplomats from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France -- and members of the G-8, including Germany, Canada, Japan and Italy.

Following the ICI meeting is an extended ministerial meeting of Iraq's neighbors on Friday, with participation of the permanent members of the UN Security Council and representatives of the G8 countries.

Source: Xinhua