Bush presses Iraqi PM on national reconciliation

NEW YORK, Sep 25 (Reuters) US President George W Bush told Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki today that his government must do more to help advance national reconciliation.

Meeting Maliki on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly session, Bush pressed the Iraqi leader on getting parliament to pass laws aimed at healing bitter sectarian divisions more than four years after a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein.

''We spent time talking about reconciliation in law,'' Bush told reporters after the meeting. ''And the prime minister and speaker are dedicated to getting good law out of the assembly. And the political parties in Iraq must understand the importance of getting these laws passed.'' REUTERS AE PM2225