Iraq conference opens in Egypt

SHARM EL-CHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 22 (AFP) - A two-day international conference on Iraq kicked off in this Red Sea resort Monday with foreign ministers from Iraq and its six neighbours holding a meeting chaired by Egypt, in a live televised opening session.
Apart from Ahmed Abul Gheit of host country Egypt and Iraq's Hoshyar Zebari, the meeting on efforts to boost border security and keep out anti-US insurgents also grouped counterparts from Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey.
Western delegations at the conference are not expected to get involved until a dinner to be attended by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, and the first plenary meeting is to take place Tuesday.
UN chief Kofi Annan, who in September called the Iraq war "illegal", was also expected in Sharm el-Sheikh later Monday, while China, Japan, Russia, the European Union, Organisation of the Islamic Conference and Arab League are also taking part.

11/22/2004 15:24 GMT - AFP