"There will be a meeting in Nasiriyah on April 12 for all opposition parties and we hope all opposition groups will be represented," said meeting organiser Ghassan Atiyyah.

Members of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), the Iraqi National Accord (INA), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Islamic Al-Dawa party were present at Tuesday's press conference in London.

The US-backed INC has sent 700 fighters to southern Iraq to join coalition forces in the campaign to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the INC had said Sunday.

Its leader Ahmad Chalabi, who has close US ties, is gearing up for a major role in post-war Iraq.

SPACE.WIRE