Arab League plans visit to Baghdad

CAIRO, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Senior delegates from the Arab League said they planned to visit Baghdad next week to discuss the progress of national reconciliation measures.

The Iraqi representative to the Arab League in Baghdad, Tarek Abdul Salam, said the meeting would set the stage for future collaborations between Iraq and the 22-member Arab consortium, Alsumaria reported.

Salam said representatives from the Iraqi central government and other ranking political figures will attend the conference as well as other interested parties operating outside the political process.

The Arab League welcomed a reconciliation plan in 2006 developed by the Iraqi government to implement a "real and comprehensive" dialogue between the various factions of the political society with the objective of establishing a stable and secure Iraq.

The 2006 plan also stressed the importance of bringing Iraqi security forces to the point where they could assume security responsibilities from U.S.-led forces.

Salam said the Arab League delegation would propose a conference later this year to be held at its headquarters in Cairo to work toward the objectives outlined in the 2006 proposal.

Alsumaria said various powers within the Iraq central government expressed hesitation toward the proposal to hold future conferences outside of the country in addition to reservations regarding the participation of the Baath Party.