RIYADH, April 14: Saudi Arabia has convened an urgent foreign ministers’ regional conference to discuss Iraq and the emerging scenario. The neighbouring countries of Iraq would be invited to participate in the conference, to be held here on April 18.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud pointed out that the conference would be held in the light of the situation in Iraq and its expected impact on the countries of the region in general and on the Iraqi people in particular.

In the meantime, the Saudi foreign minister rushed to Syria on a short unannounced visit. He met the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in Damascus on Monday.

According to reports reaching here, the two leaders reviewed the developments in Iraq and the efforts being exerted by the neighbouring countries to restore security and stability to the country. The two sides apparently also discussed the Saudi proposal for a regional foreign ministers’ conference. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq Al Shara and a number of senior officials also attended the meeting.

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold here on Tuesday an extraordinary session. The secretary-general of the GCC, Abdulrahman Al Atiyyah, said the participants of the meeting were scheduled to review the development of the situation in the Arab region following the collapse of the Iraqi regime.