U.S., Iraq seek stronger Arab backing for Baghdad

By Sue Pleming

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Seeking to improve ties between Baghdad and its neighbors, the United States and Iraq will push hard on Tuesday for Arab states to open embassies and offer debt relief while backing Iraq's new drive to disarm militias.

The meeting in Kuwait of Iraq's neighbors plus major powers follows two similar conferences last year in Egypt and Turkey that were called to try to stabilize Iraq.

This time, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will argue that Iraq is making greater attempts to boost security and political reconciliation and urge Arab states to follow through on their promises of diplomatic ties and financial aid.

"I think it's fair to say that the neighbors could do more to live up to their obligations because I do believe the Iraqis are beginning to live up to theirs," Rice told reporters traveling with her.

Iraq's recent attempts to crush Shi'ite militias will also be a central topic and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is expected to urge Arab countries to back those efforts.

A draft of a statement to be issued on Tuesday at the meeting said participants "welcome the Iraqi government's commitment to disarm and dismantle all militias and illegally armed groups, enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring the state's monopoly on armed forces."

The statement, obtained by Reuters, also urged the "maintaining or opening of diplomatic missions in Iraq".

Promises have been made by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to open up embassies in Baghdad and the U.S. hope is that if Riyadh announces firm plans and dates then others will follow.

None of the Arab states yet has a major diplomatic presence in Baghdad, largely due to security concerns but also suspicion over the Shi-ite-led Iraqi government.

After several hours of meetings with Arab ministers in Bahrain on Monday, Rice got a lukewarm response to her appeal for embassies to open but she told reporters the process was moving forward and Iraq was gaining acceptance in the region.

LEBANON TALKS

Previous neighbors' meetings in Egypt last May and Istanbul in November, were dominated by tensions between the United States and Iran, which Washington accuses of stirring up violence in Iraq and of arming and training Shi'ite militias.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Rice had no plans to hold bilateral talks with the Iranian foreign minister, who is in Kuwait for the conference. Previously she has exchanged pleasantries with the Iranian but did not have any substantive talks.

On the sidelines of the last two meetings, Rice met her Syrian counterpart and urged Damascus to stop what Washington calls meddling in Lebanon's affairs.

McCormack said there were no plans this time for Rice to hold private talks with the Syrians but France has organized a separate meeting to discuss Lebanon's presidential deadlock.