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The US said late yesterday it was pleased by reports that the US-appointed interim Iraqi Governing Council will be allowed to occupy Iraq's seat at an Arab League foreign ministers meeting this week.

"If the reports are true, we welcome this development," said Melinda Sofen, a State Department spokesperson.

She declined to comment further except to say that US officials would be seeking additional information about the reported decision today when the Arab foreign ministers begin a two-day meeting in Cairo.

Washington had been pressing the 22-member group to accept the Iraqi Governing Council for more than a month since it refused to recognise a representative at its last meeting in August.

Wary of endorsing the US occupation of Iraq, Arab states have been reluctant to formally recognise the council, appointed July 13 by the US-led coalition that toppled Saddam Hussein in April.

But Egypt's official MENA news agency reported yesterday that Arab foreign ministers had agreed to invite "the Governing Council to occupy Iraq's seat" at the Arab League, vacant since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in April.

Officials said the recognition would be temporary pending Iraq's return to self-rule at the latest and between six months and one year at the earliest.

"We reached an agreement on inviting the transitional Governing Council to attend the ministerial meeting," said Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.

State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher said earlier yesterday that Washington had "kept in close touch with Arab governments as they've looked at this question" of recognising the Governing Council.

"We do think it's important for the international community to work with the governing council," he told reporters.

On Sunday, US national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the Arab League should consider the council and its newly appointed foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari as equals.

"I would fully hope, and frankly can't understand, why the Arab League would not want representation of a new Iraqi representative council that will be well on its way to building a free Iraq," she told CNN.

The council on September 1 appointed a 25-member cabinet, including Zebari who arrived in Cairo yesterday hoping to participate in the meeting.

Arab League media director Husam Zaki told reporters that it was agreed to invite Zebari on the basis of a pledge from the Governing Council to "draw up a Constitution, hold elections and form a national government within a limited period of time" that he did not specify. – Sapa-AFP.

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