Iraq to boycott Arab meeting over Mubarak comments

BAGHDAD, Apr 11: Iraq said today it will not take part in an Arab foreign ministers meeting due to be held in Cairo tomorrow to protest Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's comments on the loyalty of Iraqi Shi'ites to Iran.

''We took a decision not to take part tomorrow in the Cairo conference for the foreign ministers,'' Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari told a news conference.

''Iraq will not take part and we hope this will remind those concerned of the need to stand beside the Iraqi people and to defend against any problem Iraq faces.'' In comments broadcast on Saturday, Mubarak said Shi'ites in Arab states were more loyal to Iran than their own countries.

REUTERS