Rome, 22 October (AKI) - Iraqi MPs visiting Rome on Thursday praised Italy's Adnkronos International (AKI) news agency. "It provides the most moderate, objective, and least 'irritating' news on Iraq," said Basim Shafir, an deputy from the Shia Fadhila party. He and two other colleagues are in Italy for meetings with the Italian government sponsored IPALMO aimed at taking forward the arduous process of national reconciliation in war-torn Iraq.

"AKI is one of my favourite websites," Shafir added, saying he frequently consults the site, which has been publishing news since 2003. AKI has an Italian, Arabic and English service.

"AKI's correspondents are always up-to-date and well-informed," added Fryad Rwandzi, an MP with the Kurdistan Alliance, who is also a journalist and op-ed writer.

Iraq badly needs quality information to move forward after the 'pioneering phase' following the fall of Iraq's late strongman Saddam Hussein, he said.

"In 2003, there was only one daily in Baghdad. Today there are 37, including two in English. And that is not to mention the dozens of satellite TV channels and radio stations which have emerged in the past few years.

"None of them is censored. There is only self-censorship. We have suddenly found ourselves a free and democratic country. But now we need to nurture high quality newspapers that can shape public opinion," Rwandzi said.