BAGHDAD (AFP) — US Vice President Dick Cheney, on a surprise trip to Baghdad on Monday, strongly urged Arab states like Saudi Arabia to open full diplomatic ties with Iraq if they want to counter Iranian influence.
A series of bomb blasts greeted Cheney's high-security and secrecy-shrouded arrival, while later in the day a suicide attack near the Shiite shrine city of Karbala killed at least 41 people, officials said.
The attacks underscored the deadly violence that still grips the nation five years after US bombs began dropping on Baghdad to topple Saddam Hussein.
"Our Arab friends would do well to send ambassadors to Iraq," Cheney told a news conference in Baghdad.
"If Arab states (are) concerned about Iranian influence in Iraq, one of the ways for them to counter that is to make a commitment to have a presence here as well."
US officials have expressed frustration that regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt have not yet formally appointed and sent ambassadors to Baghdad.
Cheney was to push Saudi King Abdullah on the issue later this week.
On a trip marking the fifth anniversary of the war, Cheney criss-crossed the strife-torn capital to assure Iraqi leaders in their homes or offices of "unwavering" US support as they "consolidate and strengthen their democracy".
But much of Cheney's visit focused on securing fragile security gains and completing the unfinished business of encouraging Iraqis to pass legislation seen as key to defusing sectarian violence and fostering national reconciliation.
Cheney said he saw "phenomenal" and "dramatic" security improvements since his last visit, in May 2007, mid-way through a surge in US troop numbers that saw an additional 30,000 personnel deployed to Iraq.
"I'm pleased to be able to return next week to Washington and report to the president that we are making significant progress in Iraq," said Cheney, who called the surge "a real success story".
"If you look back on those five years it has been a difficult, challenging but nonetheless successful endeavour," said Cheney. "It has been well worth the effort."
Cheney held talks with the top US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and US ambassador Ryan Crocker, who are due to make a progress report to the US Congress on April 8-9 that is expected to shape debate on the drawdown of the 158,000 or so US troops.
US Republican presidential hopeful John McCain was also in Baghdad on Monday to assess the success of the "surge" strategy of which he has been a big supporter, his aides said.