Brussels, Belgium, June 22, SPA -- Egypt will become the first Arabnation to send an ambassador to post-Saddam Iraq, the Iraqiforeign minister was to announce Wednesday, according to acopy of his speech obtained by The Associated Press. In his address to an international conference on Iraq,Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari praises Egypt for"showing regional leadership by taking the decision toappoint the first Arab ambassador we hope to soon welcomein the new Iraq," according to the text. Arab nations withdrew their ambassadors from Baghdad underSaddam Hussein. Some Arab nations, including Egypt, have diplomats inBaghdad, but none at the ambassador level. Egypt is among Iraq's Mideast neighbors attending theconference hosted by the European Union and the UnitedStates on Iraq's future. Foreign ministers were expected todiscuss diplomatic relations and border control in additionat the gathering. --SPA1130 Local Time 0830 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/271732