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Baghdad hosts regional conference Iraq seeks stronger regional ties
(about 4 hours later)
The third major gathering of Iraq's neighbouring states, including Syria and Iran, starts in Baghdad on Sunday. A meeting between the countries which neighbour Iraq, including Syria and Iran, has opened in Baghdad.
Foreign Ministers or their appointees are expected to attend along with representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. The countries' foreign ministers or their appointees are there, along with envoys from the UN Security Council.
The Arab League and the G8, which includes the United States, will also be present. The gathering, which follows one six months ago in the Iraqi capital, is also being attended by the Arab League and G8, which includes the US.
The will address energy problems, and security issues, such as tightening border controls. On the agenda are the large numbers of refugees, energy problems, and security issues, such as border controls.
The plight of Iraqis who have been internally displaced or driven into exile by fear of violence will also be discussed. The conference was opened by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.
He called upon the attendees to "work seriously towards the objectives that they had gathered for".
And he warned that the violence affecting Iraq was a threat to the region as a whole.
Chance for dialogue
The first conference was in Baghdad in March this year.The first conference was in Baghdad in March this year.
It provided Syria, Iran and the United States with the opportunity to meet informally and discuss Iraq.It provided Syria, Iran and the United States with the opportunity to meet informally and discuss Iraq.
The Baghdad conference was followed up in May by a similar high level gathering at the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.The Baghdad conference was followed up in May by a similar high level gathering at the Egyptian seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
One outcome of that was the International Compact for Iraq - a UN sponsored, five-year national plan to help to consolidate peace, governance and reconstruction here. One outcome of that was the International Compact for Iraq - a UN sponsored, five-year national plan to help to consolidate peace, governance and reconstruction in Iraq.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari says that these conferences are essential for reducing regional tension and providing an opportunity for dialogue between Iraq's neighbours, especially Iran and Syria and other countries involved, like the United States. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari says that the conferences were essential for reducing regional tension and providing an opportunity for dialogue between Iraq's neighbours, especially Iran and Syria and other countries involved, like the United States.
"The meeting is very important to us," Mr Zebari told the AFP news agency at the opening of the latest talks. "Everyone is talking about reconciliation but Iraq also needs to reconcile with its neighbours."
Iran in a particular has been repeatedly accused by the US military of fomenting violence in Iraq through the funding, training and arming of militants in Iraq.
The US has also accused both Iran and Syria of failing to stop foreign fighters from crossing their borders into Iraq.