Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 10, 2007

Iraq's Prime Minister Calls for International Support to Stop Violence
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1697501:A6F02AD83191E160C51267D0174C3CCB9574F7DCC14957C0 Nouri al-Maliki
warns mounting terrorism and sectarian violence inside Iraq could
spread across Middle East





Nouri al-Maliki gestures prior to peace conference in Baghdad, 10 Mar.
2007

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has called for international
support to help cut off networks aiding extremists in his war-torn
country.

In an opening statement at a regional security conference in Baghdad
Saturday, Mr. Maliki warned that mounting terrorism and sectarian
violence inside Iraq could spread across the Middle East.

The one-day landmark meeting includes delegates from all five members
of the U.N. Security Council, along with many Middle Eastern
countries, including Iran and Syria.

Meanwhile, two blasts occurred near the meeting site in the heavily
fortified Green Zone.  Officials say at least 18 people were killed
and scores of others wounded when two suicide bombers detonated their
explosives in Baghdad's predominantly Shi'ite district of Sadr City.

U.S. officials had said they intended to use the conference in Baghdad
to confront Iran and Syria about their alleged roles in fueling
sectarian violence in Iraq.

An Iraqi official, however, said Saturday that there have not been any
direct talks between U.S. and Iranian officials at the conference.  He
said only issues involving Iraq have been discussed during the
meeting, and a future meeting of "concerned countries" will be held in
Istanbul, Turkey at a later date.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have confirmed a senior al-Qaida leader was
arrested Friday, but they say he is not Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the head
of an al Qaida-linked group called Islamic State of Iraq.  Earlier
news reports said Baghdadi had been captured in the Abu Ghraib area
west of Baghdad.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters


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