New York, July 22, SPA -- Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and UNSecretary General Ban Ki-moon held talks on Wednesday on efforts torestore Iraq's international standing as it has emerged from years ofconflict, according to dpa. One demand by Baghdad has been that it is no longer be considereda threat to international peace and security, a condition cited bythe UN Security council since the early 1990s when it allowed themilitary intervention after Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait. The UnitedStates led a multinational force to repel the Iraqis from Kuwait. In the current conflict in Iraq, The US is leading a multinationalforce to help the Baghdad government fight insurgent forces. Thedeployment of international troops on Iraqi soil was authorized bythe council which invoked Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Chapter 7allows use of force to implement UN mandates. Since the 1990s, the council has adopted a series of resolutionsdealing with the conflict there and those resolutions are subject toperiodic review. UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said al-Maliki and Ban discussed thereview process. She said Ban informed al-Maliki that the actualreview process is underway and a report should be issued "shortly."--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/686809