BAGHDAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to Baghdad on Wednesday.

    Rice's visit came just three days after Jawad al-Maliki was chosen as the new Iraqi prime minister after Sunni Arabs and Kurds insisted to reject Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari for a second term.

    Earlier in the day, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld also arrived in Baghdad on a surprise visit to convey President George W. Bush's congratulation to Iraqi political factions on ending an impasse over the selection of a prime minister and other top political leaders.

    Rice, who joined Rumsfeld in Baghdad, is to hold discussions with Iraqi and U.S. officials in the Iraqi capital. Enditem