Turkey's Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu opened a meeting of Iraq's neighbors Tuesday. The ministers _ from Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan _ met in a former Ottoman palace overlooking the Bosporus to discuss regional security. "Controlling the borders is the most urgent problem that stands in front of us," Aksu said in his opening speech. "The success of the process in Iraq will be our success as well." Aksu on Tuesday called for the signing of a regional security protocol, to "show our resolve" to cooperate against terrorism and increase border security. The ministers are expected to pledge to take steps toward increased border security and intelligence sharing. Top interior ministry officials of the neighbors met Monday to work on a communique that the ministers will approve Tuesday. In a draft communique, a copy of which was shown to The Associated Press, the ministers condemn recent attacks in Iraq, including the kidnapping and killing of the Egyptian ambassador, and emphasize the need for the speedy exchange of security information on terrorists and their movements. They also agree to prevent the use of their territories as bases for the "recruitment, training, financing and planning" of terrorist acts. In the draft, they also agree to appoint "contact officers" in their ministries to ease the flow of information between the countries.
