Munich Security Confab Chief Awaiting Top-level Iranian Rep.

Berlin, Jan 4, IRNA -- This yearˈs Munich Security Conference (January 31-February 2) is awaiting a top-level Iranian representative, head organizer Wolfgang Ischinger told German Press-Agency dpa on Friday. He voiced hope that Iranian Foreigner Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif or an ˈeven higher level representativeˈ would attend the Munich security meeting, widely regarded as the top annual gathering of political movers and shakers on global strategic issues. Ischinger reiterated the need for Iranˈs presence at the 50th Munich Security Conference in light of the latest developments, alluding to the interim accord on Iranˈs nuclear program and mounting calls for Tehranˈs presence at the planned Syrian peace conference in Switzerland. A spokeswoman of the Munich security confab confirmed to IRNA on Thursday that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had been officially invited to attend the security meeting. An invitation has been sent to the Iranˈs President Doctor Rouhani last summer, however, we have not received a response yet, the spokesperson said. Among those invited to the conference are Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State John Kerry, US Secretary of State Chuck Hagel and US national security advisor Susan Rice in addition to several American senators. At total of 18 heads of states and governments, 50 foreign and defense ministers and 10 heads of international organizations are expected to participate in the confab. German President Joachim Gauck is scheduled to inaugurate the conference. Meanwhile, special guests at the three-day Munich confab are former French president Valerie Giscard dˈEstaing, ex-German chancellor Helmut Schmidt and former US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger./end