An Arab League-sponsored Iraqi reconciliation conference recently met in Cairo, Egypt. Iraqis of all political, ethnic, and sectarian backgrounds participated in the three day meeting. At its conclusion, Amr Moussa, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, read a statement that was agreed to by the participants. The statement condemned "terrorism and acts of violence, killing and kidnapping, targeting Iraqi citizens, humanitarian, civil or government organizations, national wealth and places of worship."

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the United States "supports the basic foundations of the conference":

"The idea of different groups, Iraqi groups, getting together, different groups that are committed to peaceful discussion getting together to resolve. . . .any differences they may have through dialogue. We believe that the process of political discussion and dialogue is one that will ultimately benefit these groups as well as the Iraqi people."

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says that Iraq's political leaders are engaging in a process "of reaching out to a broad spectrum of Iraqis." The United States, says Mr. McCormack, has "encouraged Iraq's leaders to do that, to try to bring as many. . . .Iraqis, into the political process as possible, to turn away from any potential support for those who are violently opposed to what the Iraqi people are trying to build in Iraq."

The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government.