Iraq's neighbors in the Middle East have «everything at stake» if that country fails, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said ahead of two international meetings later this week about the country. «The region has everything at stake here; Iraq's neighbors have everything at stake here,» Rice told reporters traveling with her to a gathering that will include Iran and Syria. She left Washington late Tuesday, stopped for refueling in Ireland and was arriving in Egypt Wednesday afternoon, the Associated Press reported. Back-to-back meetings Thursday and Friday are devoted to increasing world economic and diplomatic support for Iraq and reducing the tide of sectarian violence and terrorism there. Host Egypt wants the international summit to call for a three-month cease-fire between Iraqi forces and insurgents, according to a draft resolution. «Iraq is at the center of either a stable Middle East or an unstable Middle East, and we should therefore all align our policies,» to strengthen Iraq and its young democratic government, Rice said. The meetings in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik are expected to bring together officials from the United States, Iran, Russia, China, Europe and Arab nations.
