Monday 28 April 2003 Conference on Iraq's future  | Representatives from all over Iraq, as well as other countries, are meeting in Baghdad for a conference to try to decide how Iraq will be structured in the future. This report from Claire Marshall, Baghdad: |
 Listen to the story The invited delegates were patted down and searched carefully by US soldiers as they made their way through the tight security cordon around the conference centre. Several hundred people have come here, both from within Iraq and from abroad including the United States and Britain.
These are the so-called engaging personalities which the US believes could potentially turn into future leaders. They include tribal chiefs and other prominent figures.
The idea of the conference is to exchange views on the possible shape of a future Iraqi government. Some religious groups are boycotting the event, but one delegate told the BBC that it was vital to work with the Americans for the time being to get Iraq up and running again. Listen to the words patted down lightly tapped on top of clothing, from head to toe, with flat open hands to find out whether any weapons have been hidden tight security cordon a line or ring of soldiers, police and/or vehicles around an area which is made very safe because only certain people are allowed to enter and leave it so-called generally described as, but suggesting that not everyone agrees with the name engaging personalities interesting, pleasant and charming people prominent figures important people who are well-known or very noticeable exchange views on express and listen to opinions on possible shape of the way something might be structured boycotting refusing to be involved because they strongly disapprove of it for the time being now, for a while, until it is possible not to up and running in a better condition and functioning or working well | |  | | | SEARCH IN LEARNING ENGLISH | | | |
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