Iraq says it won’t participate in Bahrain economic conference for Mideast peace

Commenting on the planned US economic workshop in Bahrain as part of Washington’s Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sahaf tells Turkey’s state-run Anadolu: “We are not interested in this conference and we will not participate in it.”

The Palestinians have firmly rejected participating in the conference. Saeb Erekat, the secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee, has called on Arab states that have decided to participate in the US-led meetup not to advance their own interests at the expense of the Palestinian cause.

Four Arab states — the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and host Bahrain — have all stated that they will be participating in the conference. The US said Tuesday that Jordan, Egypt and Morocco had also confirmed their attendance.

— Adam Rasgon