Rice arrives in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders

BAGHDAD: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Rice flew from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she was accompanying President George W. Bush on his Middle East tour. 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 Tuesday night.