STOCKHOLM (AFP) - World leaders attending a conference on Iraq unanimously approved a declaration Thursday acknowledging Baghdad's efforts to improve security and "combat terrorism" in the war-torn country.
"The participants of the Stockholm conference recognised the important efforts made by the (Iraqi) government to improve security and public order and combat terrorism and sectarian violence across Iraq," the declaration said.
The statement, adopted by the some 100 delegations attending a follow-up meeting of the so-called International Compact with Iraq (ICI) conference in Stockholm, said that "given the difficult context, these successes are all the more remarkable."
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki meanwhile hailed the "success" of the conference and proposed that next year's ICI meeting be held in Baghdad.
The declaration called on the international community to support Iraq but contained no new announcements, economic or otherwise.
In an address to the delegates, Maliki had asked the international community to cancel his country's debts.
Democrat Barack Obama plunged Wednesday into a five-month election battle with Republican John McCain after making history by becoming the first black presidential nominee of a major US party.