US Iraq envoy sees positive signs on militias

BAGHDAD, Jan 24 (Reuters) The U S ambassador praised Iraq's prime minister for taking a ''strong position'' with fellow Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr and said today he saw some positive signs that Shi'ite militia violence could be contained.

Describing preparations for a U S -backed security crackdown in Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters Washington was wary of the risk militants and death squad killers were simply lying low until it was over but added: ''There will be no sanctuary.'' ''Operations will go on until Baghdad is made secure.'' Khalilzad, who plays a key role in Iraqi politics, said he believed Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had become ''exasperated'' with a failure to persuade Sadr and his followers to rein in death squads and other violence by his Mehdi Army militia and ''did a good job'' in ordering arrests of key suspects recently.

Maliki's commitment to tackling Shi'ite violence has been questioned by U S politicians critical of Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq and President George W Bush has made clear further support is dependent on Maliki acting against militias.

Khalilzad described a meeting between Maliki and Bush in Jordan in late November as possibly a ''defining moment'' for Maliki's change in tack towards Sadr.

CHANGED THE MIX ''While initially he was emphasising political engagement with them ... over time, I think, he became more exasperated ...

and then he changed the mix, allowing for more use of force,'' Khalilzad said.

This month Maliki said the coming Baghdad Security Plan, backed by close to 20,000 U S reinforcements, will tackle not just Sunni insurgents but Shi'ite militias. He said last week some 400 Mehdi Army members had been detained recently.

Khalilzad welcomed the return of Sadr's movement this week to the coalition cabinet and parliament following a boycott that began in protest at Maliki's meeting with Bush in November. He said U S diplomats were engaging with the anti-American group.

''The government took a strong position,'' he said, adding the Sadrist bloc secured little beyond an undertaking for parliament to study how to speed up the conditions for a U.S. withdrawal.

''The recent trend ... is more positive,'' Khalilzad said.

''But there is ongoing concern about death squad activities, about the future of the militias and concern they might be lying low, avoiding conflict now, in order to fight another day.

''It's too soon to say everything will be positive from here on so one needs to be cautious,'' he added, saying it was an open question whether Sadr was sincere in statements condemning violence and backing the security plan: ''Is it a change of tactic or a change of heart?'' REUTERS PDS RN0055