BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday to discuss preparations for next month s international conference on Iraq. Ministers from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the Group of Eight and Iraq s neighbors are set to meet in Sharm El-Sheikh on May 3-4 to try to find ways to end Iraq s bloodshed. Al-Maliki s talks with Mubarak and Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif were also due to focus on bilateral relations and how Egypt can contribute to the search for stability to the war-torn country. After the regional security conference, talks will be held on the UN-backed International Compact , a framework agreement for foreign donors to contribute to Iraqi reconstruction and development projects. Al-Maliki was accompanied by Interior Minister Jawad Al-Bolani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Rafie Al-Issawi and National Security Advisor Muwaffaq Al-Rubaie.

Al-Maliki will go to Kuwait after Egypt, his office said.