UN envoy arrives in Iraq for talks on humanitarian issues

Secretary-General Kofi Annan's acting Special Representative for Iraq, Ross Mountain, has arrived in Baghdad for meetings on relief and rebuilding needs, a United Nations spokesman confirmed today.

During his stay in Iraq, Mr. Mountain will assess reconstruction and humanitarian issues, spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters in New York.

The envoy is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the Iraqi Governing Council and UN national staff.

This visit comes a few days ahead of a planned conference in Abu Dhabi where the International Reconstruction Facility for Iraq will be launched. The forum aims to allow governments to contribute to rebuilding Iraq's economy and infrastructure through projects administered by UN agencies and the World Bank.