IRAN:Iraq will urge Iran and the United States not to use Iraq as a playing field to settle their scores when the three countries meet at a regional conference in Baghdad today, Iraq's foreign minister said yesterday.
Iraq has called the meeting to enlist support in stopping a slide into full-scale civil war, but it is being closely watched as a rare opportunity for officials from Washington and Tehran to meet at a time of tension over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"We do not want Iraq to be the battleground to settle scores for other countries and for them to settle their scores with the United States here at our expense," said Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshiyar Zebari.
Asked whether he would make that point to officials from Washington and Tehran, he said: "Yes, we will do so."
The conference will be attended by officials from Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United States and other regional countries. Mr Zebari said that it would be followed by meetings at a more senior level at a later date.
"We don't want to raise expectations, one meeting will not solve the problems of my country," Mr Zebari said. "But their very presence, having the meeting in Baghdad, is a major success for the government and for the people. What do we expect from this? Really, some actions, not words."
The US accuses Iran and Syria of fomenting the insurgency in Iraq. This week it sent its clearest signal yet that it is open to bilateral talks with Iran and Syria by saying that it would not rebuff them if they wished to discuss stabilising Iraq.