U.S.A. & IRAQ: SHI'ITE CLERIC WILL PRESS THE U.S. TO ACCEPT A GREATER ROLE OF IRAN IN IRAQ

Shiite chief to press for Iran role in Iraq
By Basil Adas, Correspondent

Baghdad: An influential Shiite leader will try to persuade US President George W. Bush to engage Iran to help end the conflict in Iraq, a Shiite official said.

Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), is slated to hold talks with Bush in Washington today.

Speaking to Gulf News, Ammar Al Hakim, deputy leader of SCIRI, described the meeting as "a new development in the relations with the US".

"The Americans are realistic partners. The talks will be aimed at trying to find solutions for this explosive situation," Al Hakim said.

Sunni participation in the political process will also be discussed, he said, adding that some powers, without directly naming Sunnis, are trying to get a bigger portion of political clout, which is more than what they got in the elections. "The Americans must understand this," he said.

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