Egyptian Foreign Minister's Statement on Iraq

Egypt said it would host on Tuesday senior officials from Iraq's neighboring countries for talks on how to follow-up on December meeting of Sharm El-Sheikh on Iraq and to discuss the situation in the country.

Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit said in a statement Friday the latest meeting of Foreign Ministers of Iraq's neighbors held in Jordan two days ago stressed necessity of maintaining Iraq's unity and territorial integrity.

Abu al-Gheit also denied as baseless reports that Cairo made contacts with some parties in Iraq to persuade them involve in the January 30 elections, saying his country calls on all the parties there to take part in the process.