Iraqi conf opens; Rice could meet Iran, Syria

Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt), May 3: An international conference to pledge support for Iraqi institutions opened in Egypt today, overshadowed by the possibility of high-level contacts between the United States and Iran and Syria.

Ministers from a dozen countries and international organisations are in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for a one-day meeting to approve an International Compact for Iraq.

On Friday Iraq, its neighbours and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council will talk about border security, Iraqi refugees and political reconciliation between Iraqi factions and ethnic and religious communities.

Senior Arab officials said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet both Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.

A time has not been set for any meetings and the United States has not confirmed they will happen.

''If it happens, it could happen today, said a US official travelling with Rice. ''Any encounter with the Iranian will not likely be a substantive discussion,'' he added.

US officials say there is a higher probability Rice will meet with Moualem, who will be with Rice tomorrow at an expanded meeting of West Asia peace mediators.

The Compact for Iraq is a five-year plan which would pledge financial, political and technical support to Iraqi institutions in return for political, security and economic reforms.

REUTERS

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