Iraqi President Jalal Talabani appealed to South American nations to support his country's efforts to defeat its bloody insurgency, saying the terrorists are indiscriminately killing innocents and hampering reconstruction efforts.
"Terrorism is not limited to Iraq, it is a global curse," Talabani said, addressing Arab and South American heads of state and ministers gathered for the Summit of the South American-Arab Countries in the Brazilian capital.
Talabani, in his first foreign trip since being elected president of the new interim government, said Iraq is on course with its strategy to defeat the militants whose daily attacks around the country have limited reconstruction efforts after the US-led war that toppled former President Saddam Hussein.
"We hope for your help in this initiative to combat the terrorism that has been carried out against the Iraqi people, against the cause of freedom and democracy," he said, calling on the 12 South American nations gathered at the summit alongside 22 Arab and North African nations to step forward with investments and bolster business contacts.
"I appeal to you to understand the Iraqi situation and also to send delegations and that companies see for themselves the reality on the ground in Iraq," he said. "It is true that we face numerous problems, but we are determined and sure" of the future.
A declaration widely expected to be approved at the Brasilia summit expresses support for Iraq's efforts to thwart the militants.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, in an interview on the sidelines of the summit, suggested that some of Iraq's neighbors have become unnerved by the US-backed attempt to establish a robust democratic government in Baghdad and still are not doing enough to stop militants.
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