Baghdad: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today made a surprise visit to Baghdad, where Iraq officials said she briefed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on President Bush's talks during his Middle East tour.

Rice flew from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she was accompanying Bush. Her trip was announced in the Saudi capital as Bush was holding talks with Saudi officials. "President Bush and Secretary Rice decided this would be a good opportunity for the secretary to go to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi officials to build on progress made and to encourage additional political reconciliation and legislative action," National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

He said Rice, who began talks with al-Maliki in his office, would return to Riyadh this night. Ali al-Dabbagh, al-Maliki's spokesman, said Rice and the prime minister met for about 45 minutes, of which 30 minutes were one-on-one. In addition to briefing him on Bush's trip, he said she passed along Bush's congratulations on the passage of legislation reinstating thousands of former supporters of Saddam Hussein's now-dissolved Baath party to government jobs.

On Saturday, Bush had commended Iraq's parliament for the legislation. "It's an important step toward reconciliation," Bush said then, after more than a year of prodding by the US for action on the legislation. "It's an important sign that the leaders of that country understand that they must work together to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people." At the same time, Bush said more progress was needed.

Source : PTI