Bush calls Iraq PM Maliki after shrine attack

Washington, June 14: US President George W Bush called Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to offer his condolences over the attack on a revered Shi'ite mosque and to urge Maliki to ''turn this moment of tragedy into opportunity'' by showing unity against militants.

In an attack that triggered fears of a new outbreak of sectarian violence, suspected al Qaeda militants blew up two minarets at the revered Golden Mosque in Samarra, one of four major Shi'ite shrines in Iraq.

A bombing of the shrine last year unleashed a wave of sectarian killing.

''The president praised the prime minister's strong leadership in the wake of the attack, including his speech to the Iraqi people and his visit to the scene of the attack in Samarra,'' White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said, describing the call.

''The president also urged the prime minister to turn this moment of tragedy into opportunity, and demonstrate to the terrorists that the unity and resolve of the Iraqi people will not be broken,'' he said.

Johndroe said Maliki told Bush he was committed to achieving political milestones in Iraq, and ''said he hopes to deliver important pieces of legislation to the Council of Representatives in the near future.'' US officials have been frustrated by a lack of progress by the Iraqi government in achieving political benchmarks, such as passing a law for the sharing of oil revenues among Iraq's Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds.

Bush, in a statement, called the Samarra attack a ''barbarous act'' and said the United States stood ready to help rebuild and restore the shrine.

''I call upon the international community and Iraq's neighbors to do everything in their power to help Iraq's government and people combat the terrorists, especially in stopping the flow of foreign terrorists into Iraq,'' Bush said.

Reuters

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