Maliki Urges Regional Meeting on Stabilizing Iraq

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq called today for a regional conference on stabilizing his country, an idea that is backed by the United Nations but is opposed by other Iraqi leaders, among them the country’s Kurdish president and Mr. Maliki’s chief Shiite rival.

Mr. Maliki said in Baghdad that his government would send envoys to neighboring countries for discussions on how they can contribute to reducing the violence in Iraq.

“After the political climate is cleared, we will call for the convening of a regional conference, in which these countries that are keen on the stability and security of Iraq will participate,” he said, according to a translation provided by The Associated Press.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Sunday suggested an international conference to be held in some other country. Mr. Maliki today said that he was “aiming” to have the conference in Iraq, and said he had not decided how broad the gathering would be.

“After talking with the governments, we will decide whether the conference will be for neighboring countries, or beyond — a regional or international conference,” he said, according to Reuters.

Mr. Maliki also said that later this month, he will convene an often-postponed reconciliation conference meant to bring together warring groups within the country, but no date was set.

Read the rest at the NY Times

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