Maliki plea for regional support

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has urged neighbouring states to do more to support his country's economy.

At a ministerial meeting in Kuwait, Mr Maliki said Iraq was still waiting for its neighbours to honour pledges to cancel debts.

He also repeated a call for Arab states to provide more political support, by reopening embassies in Baghdad.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is also in Kuwait attending the same ministerial meetings.

Ms Rice has been pressing for Arab states to establish full diplomatic ties with Baghdad to counter Iranian influence in the region.

No Arab countries currently have an ambassador based permanently in Iraq.

Some have said they plan to reopen their embassies, but cite security concerns for the delay in doing so.

'Pledges not materialised'

"The bill of debt and compensation Iraq is paying is causing a heavy damage to our infrastructure and national economy," Mr Maliki told the opening session of a ministerial conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Iraq.

"We are still waiting for implementing pledges and commitments made to waive loans and compensation," Mr Maliki said.

"It is very difficult to find a reasonable explanation for not resuming diplomatic relations with Iraq at ambassador level. There had been pledges but they have not materialised," Mr Maliki said.

"Sending ambassadors to Baghdad will help establish security and stability."

About $66.5bn of Iraq's foreign debt has been forgiven, the US State Department has estimated.

Of the estimated $56bn to $80bn debt that remains, more than half is owed to Gulf states, it adds.

Iraq also owes compensation for the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Mr Maliki is seeking a reduction in these compensation payments.