CRAWFORD - US President George W. Bush reaffirmed his support for Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday amid frustration with the pace of progress in the war-torn country, the White House said.
Bush, who telephoned Maliki to mark a year since his inauguration, "reaffirmed his confidence in the prime minister and noted the courage he has shown during a challenging and difficult year," said spokesman Tony Fratto.
The prime minister, meanwhile, reaffirmed his commitment to reconcile the country's many warring factions while bringing increased security to the capital, according to a statement from his office.
Maliki said he was determined "to implement the reconciliation initiative and national dialogue, to continue in the process of rebuilding the country, and to implement Fardh al-Kanoon (Imposing the Law)," the security operation.
Under the plan US and Iraqi forces have flooded Baghdad with troop reinforcements in order to strengthen the national government.
The operation has entered its third month and the number of sectarian murders in the capital has declined, although bomb attacks continue.
At the same time, Fratto said as Bush spent a long weekend on his Texas ranch that Iraqi progress towards national reconciliation was "not moving as quickly as anyone wants."
Bush and Maliki "discussed the importance of political progress in Iraq and the need to move forward with key reconciliation initiatives to secure Iraq's democratic gains," said Fratto.
"Prime Minister Maliki stressed his commitment to national reconciliation and provided an update on legislative initiatives including the hydrocarbon law and constitutional review process," the spokesman said.
"The two leaders also discussed the regional situation and the need for all of Iraq's neighbors to play a constructive role in helping Iraq's democracy succeed. Finally, they reaffirmed their commitment to defeating the terrorists and the extremists."
Asked whether September represented a make-or-break deadline for US-led efforts to pacify Iraq, Fratto noted only that this is when the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, is due to make a formal report on events there.
05/21/2007 15:53 GMT