Iraq urges neighbours to help fight terrorists

IRAQ’S foreign minister urged neighbours to prevent “terrorists and killers” from crossing into his country and warned yesterday that the violence in Iraq could spill across its borders.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari’s comments came during the opening of a day-long conference that brought to Baghdad officials from all of Iraq’s neighbours and other Mideast countries, as well as representatives from the UN and the Group of Eight industrialised nations. The first such conference in March saw the first direct US-Iranian talks since the war began, focusing on border problems, Iraqi refugees and energy issues.

“Despite our emphasis on national reconciliation at home, we also need to reconcile with our neighbourhood, with the international community at large,” said Zebari.