The story

Iraqi representatives will meet with the International Olympic Committee on Monday to try to reach an agreement that would allow now-banned Iraq to participate in next month's games, an official said Friday.

Jassim M. Jaffer, Iraq's minister of youth and sports, told CNN he is "optimistic that we will participate."

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh and the ministry's adviser, Basil Abdul Mahdi, are on their way to Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet with IOC officials, Jaffer said. Read full article »

CNN's Jomana Karadsheh and Morgan Neill contributed to this report.

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