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BAGHDAD (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Iraq's top Shiite leaders to give more power to political opponents.
Today's meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (NOO'-ree ahl-MAHL'-ih-kee) in Baghdad isn't expected to bring any immediate results, as Iraqi leaders have been trying to avoid the appearance of being controlled by Washington.
But Kerry appeared encouraged after the meeting, which ran for a little more than 90 minutes. While walking to his motorcade after the meeting, Kerry said, "That was good."
Iraqi officials who were briefed on the talks say al-Maliki urged the United States to target the positions of Islamic militants in Iraq and in neighboring Syria. The officials say Kerry responded by saying a great deal of care must be taken before air strikes are launched, to avoid civilian casualties that could create the impression that Americans are attacking Sunnis.
Kerry also met today with Iraq's parliament speaker, one of the country's top-ranking Sunnis. He told the speaker, Osama al-Nujaifi, that President Barack Obama and the American people remain committed to Iraq and are concerned about its security and the political chaos.
The parliament leader -- who is from Mosul, which was overrun earlier this month by militants -- described the Islamic extremists as "a threat to the entire world."
%@AP Links
135-a-10-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki)-"them in parallel"-Secretary of State John Kerry tells the Iraqi prime minister that the U.S. wants to work with Iraq on two areas of concern. (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *135 (06/23/14)££ 00:10 "them in parallel"
136-a-13-(Secretary of State John Kerry, at meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki)-"all of us"-Secretary of State John Kerry tells the Iraqi prime minister that the Islamic militants in Iraq threaten the stability and national security of the entire region as well as the United States. ((refers to ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is also referred to as ISIS)) (23 Jun 2014)
<<CUT *136 (06/23/14)££ 00:13 "all of us"
APPHOTO CAI413: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, June 23, 2014. Kerry flew to Baghdad on Monday to meet with Iraq's leaders and personally urge the Shiite-led government to give more power to political opponents before a Sunni insurgency seizes more control across the country and sweeps away hopes for lasting peace. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (23 Jun 2014)
<<APPHOTO CAI413 (06/23/14)££
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