BAGHDAD, (Reuters):

United States Secret-ary of State Condoleezza Rice, told Iraq's leaders yesterday to use any lull in violence to push ahead with national reconciliation, adding that U.S. patience would not last forever.

Rice spoke in a surprise visit to Baghdad in which she lauded initial gains by U.S. and Iraqi troops in a military operation against militants seen as a final effort to quell sectarian bloodshed between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs.

"This is a group of leaders that need to deliver," she said before meeting Iraqi leaders.

The top U.S. diplomat met Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Sunni Vice President Tareq al- Hashemi, and later told reporters she had urged them to speed up efforts towards reconciliation.

She also discussed finalising an oil revenue-sharing law and holding provincial elections.

"The United States is investing a great deal. Most especially the lives of our men and women in uniform and the American people want to see results and aren't prepared to wait forever," Rice said before wrapping up a half-day visit.

"(But) we are not saying to the Iraqis get it done by 'X' date or else," she told reporters.

Major car bombings

While major car bombings and death squad killings in Baghdad have declined, a double car bombing yesterday at a crowded market in the northern city of Kirkuk killed at least 10 people and wounded 60, police sources said.

Rice applauded the way in which the new military operation against militants in Baghdad had started. The sweep is intended to end the sectarian violence that is tearing the country apart.

"They are off to a good start," said Rice, referring to Operation Imposing Law. "How the Iraqis use the breathing space that might provide is what is really important."

A statement from Maliki's office said Rice praised the Baghdad security operation and renewed the Bush administration's backing for the government's efforts to stabilise the country.

Rice said Iraq's leaders told her they were making progress on the oil law and that it was nearly complete.

Establishing a law that equitably distributes revenues from Iraq's vast oil wealth is seen as a vital step in achieving reconciliation between warring factions.

The government has also held reconciliation conferences but there has been little progress on the ground, with Baghdad now increasingly split along sectarian lines.

Rice arrived in Baghdad a day after the U.S. House of Representatives denounced President George W. Bush's decision to send 21,500 more troops to help with the Baghdad sweep and operations in violent Anbar province. The move was a symbolic challenge to Bush's unpopular war.

The Bush administration faces growing opposition at home over a four-year war that has killed more than 3,100 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis.

Rice is heading to Jerusalem next. She is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas there on Monday.