Maliki in Kuwait for security summit

KUWAIT CITY, April 21 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met with the emir of Kuwait Monday ahead of a ministerial-level meeting on Iraqi security issues and regional relations.

Maliki met with Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah ahead of Tuesday's meeting of regional delegates. He discussed political developments in Iraq and laid the groundwork to strengthen bilateral relations between the countries, Voices of Iraq said.

Maliki traveled to Kuwait Monday with a delegation of Iraqi officials including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Shirwan al-Waili, the minister of state for national security affairs.

Iraqi officials and regional delegates approved a draft statement outlining the agenda of the third meeting on Iraq's re-emergence on the regional scene.

The statement details areas in which neighboring countries can contribute to improving Iraq's security, including border-control measures, the Kuwaiti News Agency said.

Various ministers from the Arab League, Egypt and the Organization of Islamic Conference will attend the summit, which begins Tuesday.