Iraq plans 2nd meeting with U.S., Iran

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Last updated June 14, 2007 5:31 p.m. PT

Iraq plans 2nd meeting with U.S., Iran

By EDITH M. LEDERER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

UNITED NATIONS -- Iraq is planning a second meeting with
American and Iranian officials on improving security in the
war-torn nation as a follow up to talks last month that broke
a 27-year diplomatic freeze, Iraq's foreign minister said
Thursday.

Hoshyar Zebari said in an interview with The Associated Press
that he thinks the meeting will take place in weeks rather
than months - hopefully with more senior officials than the
ambassadors who met in Baghdad on May 28 to give the new
talks "more clout."

-snip-

He said Iraq is already discussing the time and venue of the
next gathering with both sides and will soon invite them to
participate.

Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki indirectly signaled
Iran's interest in continuing the talks after discussions
Sunday in Tehran with Iraqi deputy prime minister, Barham
Salih.

But U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was more
cautious, ...

-snip-

Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_UN_US_Mideast.html