New Iraqi plan combats sectarian violence, focuses on unity

Iraqi Police
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Multi-National Force-Iraq Press Release

BAGHDAD — Senior U.S. officials in Iraq are calling a four-point plan released Oct. 3 by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to halt sectarian violence “a significant step in the right direction.”

Maliki’s plan, released Oct. 3, aims at uniting Shiite and Sunni parties to reduce and ultimately stop growing sectarian violence that threatens Iraq.

“This … shows that the Iraqi leaders want their country to succeed and are responding to the wishes of their people for security,” said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. George W. Casey, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, in a statement released yesterday.

“Now begins the hard work of implementing the plan,” the U.S. leaders wrote. “We congratulate Prime Minister Maliki and other Iraqi leaders for this important initiative, and assure them of US support.”