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Al-Maliki to Call for Regional Meeting
 BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq's prime minister reversed course Tuesday and said his envoys will talk with Iraq's neighbors about the possibility of a regional conference on quelling the violence here, despite opposition to the plan by some key political allies.Al-Maliki, a Shiite, told reporters that his envoys would talk with other governments in the region, most of them Sunni-dominated, about how they might help establish security and stability in Iraq. ``After the political climate is cleared, we will call for the convening of a regional conference in which these countries that are keen on the stability and security of Iraq will participate,'' al-Maliki said. The prime minister's statement fell short of an unconditional call for a conference. At al-Maliki's press conference in Baghdad, the Iraqi leader said a frequently delayed national reconciliation conference would convene this month. He also said he planned to reshuffle his six-month-old Cabinet, to increase its ``effectiveness and strength,'' but offered no further details. Posted by: Steve White 2006-12-06 |
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