Ban Ki-moon hopes tomorrow’s diplomatic meeting on Iraq will lead to stability

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed the hope that tomorrow’s Baghdad meeting of key players in the Iraqi conflict would help to stabilize the violence-wracked country.

Mr. Ban’s Special Representative for Iraq Ashraf Jehangir Qazi will be attending the meeting, which brings together Iraq’s neighbours, including Syria and Iran, and the five permanent members of the Security Council, including the United States.

“The Secretary-General hopes that the meeting will focus on preparing for the gathering of foreign ministers of neighbouring countries of Iraq,” spokesperson Marie Okabe told a news briefing in New York.

“He believes that such an event should have clear objectives and tangible outcomes, as well as an effective follow-up mechanism, to constructively contribute to the stabilization of Iraq.”