Iraq's neighbours to meet in Cairo Dec 5

CAIRO, Nov 26 (Reuters) Foreign ministers of countries neighbouring Iraq will meet at the Arab League in Cairo on Dec 5 to talk about ways to stop the violence, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said today.

It will be the first such meeting since nine ministers --from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey -- met in the Iranian capital Tehran in July.

This time it follows US attempts to obtain help from Iraq's neighbours and proposals that the United States open a dialogue about Iraq with Iran and Syria.

US Vice President Dick Cheney flew from Washington to Saudi Arabia and back this week to meet King Abdullah.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement said: ''This meeting must come out with a clear Arab position on the current events in Iraq, ... rejecting all forms of violence, fanaticism and sectarianism.'' But analysts say that with the exception of Iran, which has close relations with Shi'ite Muslim politicians, the neighbours have limited influence over events in Iraq, where about 100 people a day are dying in sectarian and political violence.

REUTERS SSC BST1637