U.S. hopeful of breakthrough in Iraq vote deadlock

By Ross Colvin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden pressed Iraq's leaders in a series of telephone calls on Saturday to break a deadlock that has stalled preparations for an election seen as critical for U.S. troops to withdraw, U.S. officials said.

A senior U.S. administration official said Washington was hopeful a tentative deal on Iraq's election law would allow a national vote to be held and for a new parliament to be elected and seated by March 15, when the term of the current assembly is due to expire.

Biden serves as President Barack Obama's point man on Iraq.

Iraqi officials are working to secure final approval of the deal from Shi'ite Muslim, Sunni Muslim and Kurdish political factions, the administration official said. Iraq's government is led by the country's majority Shi'ites. The minority Sunnis had controlled Iraq before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

"The U.S. role, both on the ground and via (the) vice president, is to encourage, to bridge build, and to serve as a friendly witness to the negotiations," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Biden travelled to Iraq in September, his second trip in three months. He has sought to cajole Iraq's feuding leaders to compromise on sticking points including the election law. He is due to visit Iraq again before the end of the year.

The White House said in a statement that Biden commended Iraqi leaders in Saturday's telephone calls for "finding a solution to the election law impasse."

'FAIR TO ALL SIDES'