PARIS
Paris will hold an international conference on peace and security in Iraq in mid-September, announced the French president's office on Tuesday.
"In accordance with the Iraqi authorities, the President confirmed that an international conference on peace and security in Iraq will take place in Paris on September 15," reads the statement.
The French President Francois Hollande and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Masum will jointly inaugurate the conference.
Hollande will visit Iraq on Friday as part of the preparation for the conference. The statement does not mention who has been invited.
Islamic State (IS) militants have claimed more than 1,400 lives in Iraq in the month of August alone, causing 1.2 million Iraqis, including Turkmen, Arabs and Ezidis, to flee from their homes.
Earlier on Tuesday, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian refused to rule out sending troops to Iraq as part of an international coalition to fight the IS threat.
Asked "Will France send military troops?", Le Drian told Europe 1 radio: "I can't decline any kind of act for now, we will see when it will happen."
Hollande also congratulated the new Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi on the formation of a new government, says the statement.
On Monday, Iraq's new government, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, was officially formed after receiving a vote of confidence by parliament.
The new government, which includes Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, was approved by 177 representatives out of 280.
www.aa.com.tr/en
