US-Iran talks on Iraq to await new Baghdad government: Khalilzad

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Washington will wait until Iraqis establish a new government before opening talks with Tehran on Iran's role in Iraq, US ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad said.

"We do not want to give the impression that the United States is sitting with Iran to decide about the Iraqi government. The Iraqis will decide that," Khalilzad told the Fox News Sunday television program.

"So we have deferred that meeting until after the formation of the Iraqi government," he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview with CNN's "Late Edition" program, Khalilzad acknowledged the dangerous upswing in sectarian violence in Iraq in recent weeks, but urged patience as Iraqi political groups continued to struggle to choose a new prime minister nearly four months after general elections.

"The Iraqi people would like to have a government of national unity, an effective government as soon as possible and their patience is running out," he said.

"We need to be patient at the same time, to make sure that they don't get any government, but that they get a good government."

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060409/pl_afp/usiraqiranpolitics_060409175856