Ban Ki-moon: Iraq 'stepping back from abyss'

From the BBC via Iraq Pundit,

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has praised progress in Iraq at a UN forum in Sweden on the situation in the country.

Mr Ban said Iraq was "stepping back from the abyss that we feared most" but warned the situation "remains fragile".

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki called for debt cancellation, mainly from Arab nations.

Nearly 100 countries are taking part in the forum, which is aimed at supporting Iraq's efforts to restore stability and

rebuild a functioning economy.

Also, Eye Iraqi on Our Arab Friends and Maliki's call for debt cancellation at the conference.