Jordan Times
Monday, April 18, 2005
Neighbors' meeting postponed
AMMAN, April 18 (JT) - An Istanbul meeting of Iraq's neighboring countries was
postponed at a request by Iraqi officials, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Rajab Sukayri told The Jordan Times that the
Monday-Tuesday meeting was rescheduled for the 27th of this month in order to
give Iraqis time to form their new government.
News reports said Iraqi prime minister-designate Ibrahim Jaafari called Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul late Saturday, saying he wanted to attend the
meeting but that he would be unable to form his new Cabinet before the middle of
next week.
The meeting is to bring together foreign ministers of Iran, Jordan, Kuwait,
Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey.
Sukayri said the talks are to discuss ways to support the war-torn country's
ongoing political process especially after the January 30th general elections.
The upcoming meeting is the eighth in a series of regular gatherings since
January 2003, when Turkey led the initiative as part of efforts to make Iraq
comply with UN resolutions and avert a US intervention.