DAMASCUS, Nov 1: Foreign ministers of six states neighbouring Iraq plus Egypt began talks here on Saturday on the country’s growing instability, but without Iraqi delegate, Hoshyar Zebari, who boycotted the summit.

The Turkish, Egyptian, Jordanian, Iranian, Kuwait and Saudi ministers also took part in Iftar, hosted by their Syrian counterpart at a Damascus restaurant.

Syria called the top-level talks on the regional implications of continued instability in Iraq. Damascus initially failed to invite Zebari because of its continued misgivings about the legitimacy of his US-installed administration. But at the insistence of US allies Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, Syria agreed on Friday night to invite Zebari, said foreign ministry spokesperson Boushra Kanafani.—AFP