Sunnis boycott Iraq reconciliation event

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080318/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Iraq's main Sunni bloc boycotted a Tuesday conference aimed at reconciling the nation's sectarian groups, a sign of the deep schisms still facing this country

The Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front said they will not participate in the conference until Shiite lawmakers address their political demands. They say Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite, has failed to release detainees not charged with specific crimes, has not disbanded Shiite militias and has not sufficiently included Sunni lawmakers in decision-making on security issues.

"How we can attend a reconciliation meeting?" said Saleem Abdullah, a spokesman for the Sunni front. "There are many points that are still not fulfilled."

The U.S. is pressing the Iraqis to achieve national reconciliation, warning that progress toward that goal is necessary to guarantee long-term American support.