WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States said on Monday that the Iraq international conference in Egypt's Red Sea resort Sham El-Sheik was aimed at helping strengthen regional and international support for the interim Iraqi government.

    "The point for us in going to Sham (El-Sheik) is to help strengthen regional and international support for the interim Iraqi government, to help strengthen regional cooperation in tackling the insurgency, and to broaden international support for the political and reconstruction process in Iraq," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said at a news briefing.

    "Our approach is going to try to focus on positive things that the international community and Iraq's neighbors can do to help the interim government get a handle on the security situation, provide a good environment for upcoming elections and move ahead in rebuilding the country and providing the people of Iraq with the material needs that they have," Ereli said.

    The first ever international conference on Iraq, attended by some 20 countries, opened in Sham El-Sheik on Monday and is expected to last for two days.

    Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi requested holding the conference to rally support for the Iraqi government as it struggles against an increasingly violent insurgency.

    Iraq is to hold national elections on Jan. 30 next year. Enditem