Iraq's Maliki promises to target insurgents-W House

WASHINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told US President George W Bush he aimed to improve security in Baghdad by targeting ''all sources of violence'', including insurgents and militias, a White House spokesman said.

Bush and Maliki, who took office seven months ago as head of Iraq's Shi'ite-led coalition government, spoke for 30 minutes yesterday afternoon via a secure video link, said White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

During the conversation, Maliki outlined plans for a national conference today in Baghdad that is designed to halt mounting sectarian violence that has raised fears of civil war, Johndroe said in a brief statement.

Maliki ''talked about his desire, and the desire of many in Iraq, for a larger core of Iraqi political leaders to come together for the common objective of stabilizing Iraq and promoting the rule of law,'' he added.

''The prime minister also talked about providing greater security, in particular in Baghdad by going after all sources of violence, including insurgents and militias,'' he said.

Bush reiterated his support for Maliki, and said he was encouraged by his recent meetings with Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the powerful Shi'ite Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, according to the spokesman.

Hashemi told Al Jazeera television yesterday that Bush had called for decisive action to halt the bloodletting when they spoke earlier this week.

The conference will bring together Kurdish, Shi'ite Muslim and Sunni Arab politicians from Baghdad's ruling coalition, and figures from Saddam Hussein's former Baath party, who have lived abroad since the US-led invasion in 2003.

They are likely to discuss issues ranging from the presence of US and other foreign troops to sectarian militias.

Bush, facing growing criticism over the war, is considering options ranging from a short-term increase in US troop strength in Iraq to changing the mission there from fighting insurgents to supporting Iraqi forces.

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