Delegates attending a national conference in Iraq have called on the radical Shia cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, to end his uprising in the city of Najaf and join the political process.
The conference is meeting in Baghdad to elect a council of 100 members that will oversee the interim government.
The delegates voted to send a negotiating team to Najaf to try to defuse the stand-off between American-led forces and Sadr's militias.
The United Nations special envoy to Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, who has recently arrived in the country, said the UN was also willing to take a negotiating role in Najaf if it was invited.
Three US soldiers killed in Najaf
Meanwhile, three American soldiers were killed during fighting yesterday in the area around Najaf.
The city saw violent clashes last week between US forces and radical Shi’ites loyal to Sadr. Hundreds of people have been killed in the clashes.
Although there had been a truce, negotiations broke down at the weekend and the Iraqi government has said it will begin a new offensive soon.
In preparation for this offensive, journalists have been ordered to leave the city.
Journalist kidnapped in Iraq
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a French journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq.
The deputy governor of the southern city of Nasiriyah said the kidnapping took place there on Saturday while the man was reporting on archaeological sites in the area.
It has also been reported that the journalist was travelling on an American passport.
