US President George W. Bush on Wednesday reiterated his call for Iraqi leaders to speed up national reconciliation, White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

Speaking at a secure videoconference, Bush thanked Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Iraqi Vice Presidents Adel Abdel Mahdiand Tareq al-Hashemi for "working together on key economic, political and security challenges."

"He also encouraged them to keep making progress," Snow told reporters.

Following the 40-minute videoconference, Bush will meet Iraqi President Jalal Talabani at the White House Thursday, the spokesman added.

The Bush administration has been urging the Iraqi government to speed up the reconciliation process, including legislation governing the sharing of oil revenues, reforms aimed at enabling members of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath Party to hold jobs, and constitutional reforms.

Hundreds of Iraqi people were reportedly killed in the worsening sectarian violence in the war-torn country.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2007)