By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: April 18, 2004
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 17 — Negotiations to settle a standoff between occupation forces and representatives of a Shiite cleric in the southern city of Najaf have stalled, negotiators and a spokesman for the cleric said on Saturday. At least one fatal skirmish flared on the outskirts of Najaf.
In that episode, Iraqi attackers opened fire on a military patrol, killing one soldier, said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, a spokesman for the occupation forces. The nationality of the soldier was not immediately known. Two attackers were also killed in the firefight, General Kimmitt added.
One of two negotiators acting on behalf of the 31-year-old cleric, Moktada al-Sadr, said that talks broke off on Thursday because of a last-minute condition American officials imposed that seemed "illogical." He said he could not give more information on the condition because of a promise made to the occupation side not to divulge details of the talks. A senior American official said the talks were murky.
that is the whole story, but here is the link anyway:http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/international/middleeast/18NAJA.html?ex=1082865600&en=1f7b14ddf99c7429&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE