Meeting Of Countries Neighboring Iraq Starts - Zebari Turns Down Invitation

DAMASCUS - The formal part of the meeting of foreign ministers of countries neighboring Iraq started in Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul represents Turkey in the meeting at Sheraton Hotel.
Foreign ministers of Turkey, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Jordan are participating in the meeting.
Ministers came together in informal part of the meeting on Saturday and took a decision on Iraq's attending following meetings. Foreign ministers invited officially Iraq to the meeting.
Foreign ministers will work to form a common view in line with interests of Iraqi people in the meeting which will focus on the future of Iraq.
Diplomatic sources said that ministers would seek an answer to the question, ''where is Iraq going to?'' and stated that reflection of the latest developments in Iraq to neighboring countries would also be discussed in the meeting.
Ministers will take up issues including protection of territorial integrity and political unity of Iraq, Iraqi people's using resources of their country and supporting Iraqi people in the meeting. Neighboring countries will give the message that ''we are ready to extend aid to Iraqi people.''
Foreign ministers of countries neighboring Iraq earlier held a meeting in Istanbul and Riyadh within the scope of process which was launched under the leadership of Turkey before the war. They also had opportunity to come together during the summit of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Tehran.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari who was invited to the meeting of foreign ministers of neighboring countries with Iraq in Syrian capital Damascus, has turned down the invitation.
Sources told the A.A correspondent on Sunday that Kuwait proposed to send a plane to Iraq to bring Zebari to Damascus.
However, Zebari turned down the invitation saying that it was too late.
The next meeting of foreign ministers of neighboring countries with Iraq is planned to be held in Kuwait. A certain date has not been set yet for the meeting.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters, ''if you invite someone to a club and he declines, do you keep inviting him? I don't know. I think if Zebari wants to come, he is welcome. He will be welcome until the end of our meeting.''
(UK) 02.11.2003