SG/SM/10221
IK/529
22 November 2005
Secretary-General Lauds Arab League on Holding of Iraq Talks
NEW YORK, 21 November (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
The Secretary-General commends the League of Arab States for the holding of the Preparatory Meeting for the Conference on Iraqi National Accord, held in Cairo from 19 to 21 November. The Secretary-General was recently in Cairo and Baghdad, where he lent his support to this worthwhile initiative. He was represented at the meeting by his Special Representative for Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, who worked closely with the Arab League Secretary-General in preparing and facilitating the successful conduct of the meeting.
The Secretary-General is pleased that the meeting was attended by a broad range of representatives of Iraq's different communities, who seized the opportunity to discuss national reconciliation and the future of their country. The Secretary-General has asked his Special Representative to continue to work closely with the League and with the Iraqi Government in the preparations for the proposed Conference.
* *** *
