LAST UPDATE: 5/15/2005 10:44:02 AM
United Press International

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise trip to Iraq Sunday -- her first visit to that nation -- to meet with government officials. Rice reportedly met with Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari. She delivered the message to Iraqi leaders that the United States wants the timeline for drafting an Iraqi constitution to be met, according to CNN.

She said a political process, not just military means, would play a role in defeating the insurgents that have killed some 400 people since Iraq's democratically elected government was announced at the end of April.

Rice said she was concerned that Sunni Muslims were not taking a full part in that political process, with only token representation on a committee set up to draft a new constitution, the BBC reported.

"I think it is something that I would like to discuss with the leadership, the composition of that committee, and how ... they can ensure that there is participation of all Iraqis, including Sunnis, in this process," she said.

"What's really important here is that when they sit down to work on this constitution (and that) all Iraqis