Iraq Security Meeting

Iran agreed to attend a major regional conference on Iraq set for this week in Egypt. This will be a major break as Iraq seeks support from its neighbors in quelling its violence. The meeting will include both Iran’s foreign ministry and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, raised the possibility of a rare direct encounter between high-level U.S. and Iranian officials.

The U.S. accuses Iran funding and arming Shiite militias who are responsible for the Iraq’s sectarian violence, and the Shiite-led Iraqi government has struggled to maintain good relations with Iran while not angering the Americans. But the alleged militia links have also prompted the U.S. politicians and analysts to urge the Bush administration to seek Iran’s help to stop the violence in Iraq.

Iraq’s other neighbors, Egypt, Bahrain and representatives of the big five U.N. Security Council members have also agreed to attend to the meeting in Egypt.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/29/ap/world/main2739148.shtml?source=search_story