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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Rice in Iraq to back 'progress' | Rice in Iraq to back 'progress' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has flown to Iraq in an attempt to build on recent reconciliation efforts. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has flown to Iraq in an attempt to build on recent reconciliation efforts. |
| Her trip comes shortly after the Iraqi parliament approved a measure to allow former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to return to public life. | Her trip comes shortly after the Iraqi parliament approved a measure to allow former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to return to public life. |
| She is meeting top officials including Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. | She is meeting top officials including Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. |
| Ms Rice flew to Baghdad on the unannounced visit from Riyadh, where she was accompanying President George W Bush on a tour of the Middle East. | Ms Rice flew to Baghdad on the unannounced visit from Riyadh, where she was accompanying President George W Bush on a tour of the Middle East. |
| National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters that Mr Bush and Ms Rice had decided that it was a good opportunity to visit Baghdad. | National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters that Mr Bush and Ms Rice had decided that it was a good opportunity to visit Baghdad. |
| Ms Rice would "meet with Iraqi officials to build on progress made and to encourage additional political reconciliation and legislative action," he said. | Ms Rice would "meet with Iraqi officials to build on progress made and to encourage additional political reconciliation and legislative action," he said. |
| Mr Bush has called the measure to allow minor Baath party officials back into public office an important step towards national reconciliation. | Mr Bush has called the measure to allow minor Baath party officials back into public office an important step towards national reconciliation. |
| Purge | Purge |
| Saddam Hussein's regime was predominantly Sunni and many figures were removed from government after his fall in 2003, under an edict from ex-US administrator Paul Bremer. | Saddam Hussein's regime was predominantly Sunni and many figures were removed from government after his fall in 2003, under an edict from ex-US administrator Paul Bremer. |
| The army was disbanded, thousands of teachers, university lecturers and civil servants were sacked. | The army was disbanded, thousands of teachers, university lecturers and civil servants were sacked. |
| But after the Americans handed over power to an Iraqi government in 2004, they urged the Shia-led administration to ease the measures further in an effort to promote national reconciliation. | But after the Americans handed over power to an Iraqi government in 2004, they urged the Shia-led administration to ease the measures further in an effort to promote national reconciliation. |
| Much of the Sunni insurgency is thought to be centred on dismissed military men from the Baathist regime. | Much of the Sunni insurgency is thought to be centred on dismissed military men from the Baathist regime. |
| The legislation has been seen as an attempt by the government to end the sectarian divide between the Shia and Sunni communities. | The legislation has been seen as an attempt by the government to end the sectarian divide between the Shia and Sunni communities. |
| It excludes former Baath members charged with crimes or still sought for them. | It excludes former Baath members charged with crimes or still sought for them. |
| US officials are acutely aware that political progress is lagging behind improvements in the security situation in Iraq, the BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says. | |
| Ms Rice is making her visit at a time of new tension between Arabs and Kurds, as Kurdish leaders push for a referendum on the status of the northern city of Kirkuk - which they want as their capital. | |
| Arab factions oppose such a vote. | |
| Earlier an Iraqi minister was quoted as saying that his country would need US help with security until 2018. | |
| Defence Minister Abdul Qadir Obeidi told the New York Times that Iraq would not be able to take responsibility for its internal security until 2012, and would not be able to defend its borders from external threats until 2018. | Defence Minister Abdul Qadir Obeidi told the New York Times that Iraq would not be able to take responsibility for its internal security until 2012, and would not be able to defend its borders from external threats until 2018. |
| Arms sale | Arms sale |
| Meanwhile President Bush is continuing his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he is holding a series of meetings with King Abdullah. | Meanwhile President Bush is continuing his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he is holding a series of meetings with King Abdullah. |
| Mr Bush is raising the issue of high oil prices with King Abdullah | Mr Bush is raising the issue of high oil prices with King Abdullah |
| Israeli-Palestinian talks, democracy, and Iran's nuclear activities are thought to have featured in the president's initial discussions. | Israeli-Palestinian talks, democracy, and Iran's nuclear activities are thought to have featured in the president's initial discussions. |
| He has also appealed to oil producers to take action over "very high" oil prices. | He has also appealed to oil producers to take action over "very high" oil prices. |
| The White House announced on Monday in conjunction with the trip that it intended to go ahead with a major sale of sensitive military technology to Saudi Arabia. | The White House announced on Monday in conjunction with the trip that it intended to go ahead with a major sale of sensitive military technology to Saudi Arabia. |
| The laser-guided bomb technology sale is worth $123m (£63m), part of a long-awaited US arms package for Gulf Arab allies worth $20bn. | The laser-guided bomb technology sale is worth $123m (£63m), part of a long-awaited US arms package for Gulf Arab allies worth $20bn. |
| On Tuesday Mr Bush is due to visit the Saudi king's horse farm with its Arabian stallions on Tuesday - the US president has hosted the Saudi monarch at his own ranch in Texas in the past. | On Tuesday Mr Bush is due to visit the Saudi king's horse farm with its Arabian stallions on Tuesday - the US president has hosted the Saudi monarch at his own ranch in Texas in the past. |