Iraq PM set for talks with EU leaders

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is to head to Brussels this week for talks with European Union officials on trade and energy cooperation, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Sunday.

During the two-day visit to the bloc's headquarters in the Belgian capital starting on Tuesday, Maliki will meet European Commission president Jose Manuel Barrosso, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and members of the European parliament, Dabbagh told a news conference in Baghdad.

Maliki, who is heading a delegation of Iraqi security, oil and political leaders, will also hold discussions with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Dabbagh added.

"He will focus on economic, military and security matters and also talk about Iraq-EU cooperation in the energy field, especially as regards liquefied petroleum gas," he said.

"Iraq has large stores of gas and European countries are urgently in need of this gas," the spokesman said.

"The prime minister will talk about cooperation and trade agreements between European countries and Iraq, and prepare Iraq to become a full partner for the European Union."

bpz/kir

04/13/2008 15:47 GMT