(From left to right) EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and  EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana are in a press conference.

BAGHDAD, June 9 (Xinhuanet) -- An European Union delegation headed by its foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived here Thursday on a surprise visit.

    The delegation also included British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, who held talks with Iraqi President Jalal al-Talabani over the arrangements for the coming US-backed conference on Iraq.

    The conference, due to be held in Brussels on June 22-23, is expected to group representatives from over 80 countries to discuss reconstruction and developments in the post-war Iraq.

    "Yes the Iraq war did divide Europe. Now there is a new spirit around to put the past behind us to work for this new future for Iraq," said Straw.

    Britain is to take over the rotating EU presidency as of July 1 from Luxembourg, which holds the current presidency.

    "It is a very important moment, not only for Europe but also for Iraq. We will do our best to help you to restore the rule of law inIraq," Asselborn told the joint press conference.

    Talabani, the first Kurdish president elected after the topple of Saddam Hussein, said "there are great opportunities for cooperation between Iraq and the European Union in political, security, economic, trade, and the cultural field."

    A spokeswoman in Talabani's office said Iraq will send a 40-member delegation including senior government ministers to the conference. Enditem