Fri, 01:57 23 May 2008 GMT17

 

Sweden says Iraq-U.N. conference set for May 29
10 Apr 2008 22:32:24 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Updates with Bush saying Rice will attend conference)

STOCKHOLM, April 10 (Reuters) - A conference on Iraq's development is set for May 29, host country Sweden said on Thursday, adding it expected United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki to attend.

The conference, which was announced on April 3 by Sweden on the sidelines of a NATO summit, is a follow-up meeting to the so-called International Compact with Iraq. The U.N. Secretary-General and Maliki will issue invitations.

"The only thing we can say for certain is that those who will come are the ones who are inviting, that is the U.N. Secretary-General and Iraq's Premier Maliki," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said in a briefing for journalists.

Bildt said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice might take part, and U.S. President George W. Bush confirmed on Thursday she would attend following her trip to the Expanded Neighbors Conference in Kuwait City.

More than 60 countries participated in the launch of the International Compact, which produced commitments of $30 billion, mostly in the form of debt relief.

Bildt said he expected more follow-up meetings on the role of the United Nations in the war-torn country.

"The idea is surely that meetings will be held with regular intervals to be able to incorporate the development in Iraq in the wider international context," Bildt said. (Editing by Matthew Jones)
AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Middle East Rice warns of more U.S. sanctions on Iran

Asia McCain, Obama battle over military service

AlertNet insight
Asia Donors to thrash out climate change funding row

Aid agency news feed
Asia AIR SERV INTERNATIONAL MYANMAR RESPONSE UPDATE

Blogs
Europe BOOK CHAT: What have you read lately?

Maps
Americas MAP: Global flood locations week ending April 11 ,2008


Country information


Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-05-22T131049Z_01_BAG205_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG205.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-05-22T131013Z_01_BAG207_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG207.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-05-22T130550Z_01_BAG206_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG206.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-05-17T071711Z_01_BAG300_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG300.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-05-17T071532Z_01_BAG301_RTRIDSP_2_IRAQ_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/BAG301.htm

Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki speaks during a news conference during a visit in Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, May 22, 2008. REUTERS/Ali Abu Shish (IRAQ) ...



URL: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10404612.htm

For our full disclaimer and copyright information please visit http://www.alertnet.org