The prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, said that construction of the Adhamiya barrier would stop, but his military commanders hinted that it might go on, perhaps with less imposing barriers.

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About 3, 500 candidates were running for 200 seats in a new parliament, and turnout was about 60% of the country's 2.8 million registered voters, election commission Chairman Nuri Khalifa Al-Abbar said.

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"We have succeeded in preventing Iraq from going into sectarian war -- which threatened our dear Iraq -- and I am fully confident that national reconciliation is our only way that takes Iraq into safety in spite of all the destabilizing actions by local and international groups, " said Nuri al-Maliki, who addressed the country's parliament, the Council of Representatives.

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Aides said that included Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani as well as Iraq's vice presidents and other key political leaders.

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"From the beginning, we have warned that some militant groups want to move the conflict in Syria to Iraq, " said Ali al-Mussawi, adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

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Asked about the two volatile regions of Baquba and Mosul, north of Baghdad, Odierno said he believes troops will withdraw from Baquba, but noted that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will have to make a decision about Mosul, where al Qaeda in Iraq militants have been active.

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