day conference. It is the first international conference on the issue since sovereignty was handed over to Iraqis from the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority on June 28. Meanwhile, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who also joined the talks, said that the United States will help Iraq improve the security situation. ''The first priority for the Iraqi interim government is to secure the country so that other reconstruction efforts can succeed,'' Armitage said.
