PEACE campaigners in Swindon will reach out to the Christian communities with a public meeting next week.

Justin Alexander of the Christian peace team will speak at the Moravian Church in Dixon Street on Tuesday.

Mr Alexander is a Christian and an expert on the Middle East.

The Christian Peace Team is dedicated to conflict resolution and visits war zones to seek to heal divisions through face-to-face contact.

Mr Alexander will be joined by Greg Muttitt, a researcher at the London charity PLATFORM.

He will explore the US strategic agenda and its likely impacts on Iraqis.

Mr Muttitt will argue that the west is working hard to influence Iraqi oil policy and allow companies to take control of the oilfields for the first time since the 1970s.

Meeting organiser Andy Newman, of Swindon Stop the War Coalition, is holding the meeting to demonstrate the wide breadth of opinion represented by the peace movement.

He said: "The anti-war movement includes people of all faiths and none, and political opinions of all shades from the left to the right.

"Sometimes there is not enough appreciation of the heroic practical work done by campaigners like the Christian Peace Team, and we also want to draw attention to the fact that nearly all the Christian churches have spoken out against the terrible wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

The organisers stress that this is an open meeting, and everyone is welcome. It starts at 7.30pm.