Iraqi PM urges dialogue over Iraq

Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Saturday urged officials from regional and world powers to pursue dialogue to settle disputes over Iraq.

''We call for peaceful dialogue to settle disputes, including the international, regional, inter-regional issues,'' Maliki told delegates to a regional conference in Baghdad, including deputy foreign ministers and other officials from Iran, Syria and the United States.

In his opening speech, Maliki also demanded to see a ''unified regional and international stand in support of the Iraqi people ... with no distinction along sectarian, regional or ethnic lines.''