Gates makes unannounced visit to Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Baghdad Thursday to get Iraqi leaders to settle differences over the status of the Kurdish region, officials said.

Gates, who flew to Baghdad from Afghanistan, planned to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, but the prime minister was tied up with parliamentary meetings on a series of recent deadly bombings, Voice of America reported.

The U.S. defense secretary wants Iraqi leaders to resolve differences over power sharing with the internal Kurds and the city of Kirkuk, the report said.

The cancellation of the meeting with Maliki was not a rebuff, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morell said, but a result of the prime minister's obligations to parliament. VOA said Maliki was summoned to the legislative body to defend security policies after multiple terror attacks, for which al-Qaida claimed responsibility.

VOA said Gates did meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and other members of the presidency council.

Gates flew unannounced to the Iraqi capital from Kabul, where he spent two days briefing U.S. commanders and military units about President Barack Obama's plan to send an additional 30,000 troops. Gates also met with Afghan military and civilian leaders, including President Hamid Karzai.

The Iraqi trip was planned before Tuesday's attacks around Baghdad that killed at least 127 people and wounded more than 500.