Ottawa could be preparing to play a leading role in the Iraq election planned for January, according to a published report.

Citing a senior official, The Globe and Mail reported Wednesday that the federal government is in four-way talks between Canada, the United States, the interim Iraqi government and the United Nations.

The Globe suggests that Prime Minister Paul Martin could make a formal announcement during U.S. President George Bush's visit next week.

"There are conversations around that, but no commitments have been asked for or given," the official told The Globe.

At the close of a two-day conference on Iraq's future Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew said he recognized the need to help push the war-torn country towards peace and prosperity.

"At this meeting today, we are united behind a shared, ambitious vision: a stable and prosperous Iraq, at peace with itself and its neighbours,'' he told the conference attended by representatives of 20 nations including Iraq's six neighbours, the European Union and the Arab League.

After taking a leading role in the planning and monitoring of elections in Afghanistan last month, Canada could be asked to assist with the provision of ballots, voter registration and the training of elections officials.

Bush is expected to be accompanied by both his incoming and outgoing Secretaries of State, Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell respectively, when he arrives for his two-day visit to the capital on November 30.

Although his trip is not billed as a state visit, Bush has signalled his intention to give it as high a profile as possible.

When he and Martin met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Santiago, Chile last weekend, Bush said he was keen to re-open the border to Canadian beef.