LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Los Angeles is seeking help from Washington in the city's fight against its notorious gang violence when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa meets with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Wednesday, according to a statement by the mayor's office.

    The two officials are scheduled to discuss how Los Angeles and the Justice Department can work closer to reduce gang violence in the city, including an attempt to fight the growing influence of international gangs.

    Villaraigosa said in the statement that gang-related violence continued to plague communities in Los Angeles despite an overall decline of crime rate in the city.

    He said gangs are responsible for a staggering percentage of violent crimes in Los Angeles and the city's progress in lowering the crime rate would come to a dead stop if authorities do not attack the gang problem head on.

    "We need to confront violent street gangs with a direct, aggressive and comprehensive strategy," the mayor said, adding that he wants to forge a strong partnership with the attorney general on the issue.

    Villaraigosa and Los Angeles Police Department chief William Bratton have said cracking down on gangs will be the priority for local authorities in 2007, and they plan to announce an anti-gang initiative this month.

    According to statistics released Tuesday, interracial gang-related attacks in Los Angeles rose in 2006 despite a citywide reduction in crime for the fifth consecutive year. More than half of the city's reported homicides were gang-related.