Rumsfeld warns Iraq's new leaders against corruption

BAGHDAD- US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today warned Iraq's new leaders against political purges and cronyism.

On a visit to Baghdad, he warned against anything that could that could spark "lack of confidence or corruption in government".

He said the United States also opposed any move to delay the political schedule in Iraq, which includes drafting a new constitution by mid-August and elections in December.

His ninth visit to Iraq since the March 2003 invasion came as the US military was expected to begin sharply cutting the number of troops in the country next year.

"The presence of (US) security forces is not going to be something that is going to go on forever," he told reporters on his military transport plane from Washington.

Rumsfeld said he would meet Iraq's new Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad.

Despite the naming of moderate Islamist Jaafari and Talabani, a Kurd, to lead the new transitional government last week, political factions are jockeying for power.

Rumsfeld said decisions such as government appointments in ministries should be for the good of Iraq and not based on party loyalties or retribution.

"It's important that the new government be attentive to the competence of the people in the ministries and that they avoid unnecessary turbulence," he told reporters.

"We have an opportunity to continue to make progress politically, economically ... anything that would delay that or disrupt that as a result of turbulence, or lack of confidence or corruption in government, would be unfortunate. "

He noted a legal provision allowed for a delay of up to six months in writing a new constitution before the next round of elections but said the United States would oppose such a move.

He began his day in Iraq with talks on the military situation with US Army General George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq, and Army Lieutenant General John Vines, commander of multinational forces.

He was to fly later to the northern city of Mosul and meet at Sala Huddin with Masoud Barzani, a senior Kurdish leader.

An American contractor was kidnapped near Baghdad on Monday, just before Rumsfeld's visit, raising fresh concerns about security. More than 150 foreigners have been abducted by guerrillas over the past year.

The US Army is looking at slashing year-long tours in Iraq for soldiers to six months to relieve pressure on the stressed military and bolster troubled recruiting, as Iraqi security forces increasingly take responsibility for reducing insurgent violence.

But despite the election and major steps toward democratic government, one senior US defence official travelling with Rumsfeld told reporters that "the transition plan is obviously linked with the political process".

There are about 140,000 US troops in Iraq, down from a top level of 150,000 in December to help provide security for January's parliamentary elections. That total is expected to go down to about 138,000 in coming weeks.

More than 1540 American troops have died in Iraq since the US-led invasion, but the rate of those casualties has declined significantly since the election.

The US military death toll in Iraq in March was 36, the lowest monthly toll since 20 were killed in February 2004. That compared to 107 US deaths in January of this year and 137 on November of last year, the highest monthly toll of the war.

- REUTERS