UN envoy in Iraq visits Turkey to seek regional support for peace efforts

The top United Nations envoy to Iraq visited Turkey today as part of his ongoing efforts to muster regional support to bring stability to the war-torn country, the third such visit he has made in as many weeks.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Ashraf Qazi, who at the end of last month conferred with Syrian officials in Damascus and Saudi leaders in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, met with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara to discuss “the important role the neighbouring states can play in reducing violence and promoting stability” in Iraq.

The two men “stressed the need for greater regional engagement to bolster efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, reconciliation and consensus building in Iraq,” the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement.

Mr. Qazi’s regional tour is “designed to learn the views and perceptions of Governments of the region and explore the different ways these governments can take to help enhance Iraq’s stability and regional reintegration,” it added.