Widespread Participation Expected in Reconciliation Conference

Vice president Tarik al-Hashimi's media office said all active Iraqi parties and organisations should participate in the reconciliation conference in Baghdad in August. Through his media office, Hashimi said the participants should apply decisions made at the conference and that security should be the top priority. He said the government needs to regain (control) of the state by fighting militias that have acted badly. The media office said that all possible resources need to be put into the conference to render it a success, and that postponing it (the conference was originally scheduled for June 22) would help the newly-established government make it a successful gathering.