¡¡¡¡BAGHDAD, Aug. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Most Arab parliaments have expressed their readiness to attend an extraordinary meeting of theArab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) on US threats against Iraq, due to be held here next month, AIPU Secretary-General Noureddine Bouchekoudj said on Thursday.

¡¡¡¡Bouchekoudj conveyed the information to Iraqi National Assembly Speaker Saadoun Hamadi during their meeting here earlier in the day, the official Iraqi News Agency reported.

¡¡¡¡Iraq has invited all Arab parliaments to attend the meeting to "seek means to confront US threats against Iraq and to serve the Arab nation's interests," Hamadi said.

¡¡¡¡The Iraqi parliament last month sent letters to its Arab counterparts, calling for an extraordinary AIPU session, either in Baghdad or in the Syrian capital of Damascus, where the AIPU is based, to discuss the US threats against Iraq as soon as possible.

¡¡¡¡US President George W. Bush has branded Iraq as part of an "axisof evil," along with Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, accusing them of pursuing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorism.

¡¡¡¡Bush has repeatedly vowed to achieve a "regime change" in Iraq with all the tools at his disposal, including military actions.

¡¡¡¡Iraq has remained adamant in the face of US threats. Enditem

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