Amman, Jordan - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Thursday confirmed there were 'differences' between Baghdad and
Washington over the long-term security agreement for stationing of US
troops in Iraq.
'We have not yet reached an agreement on a security pact,' al-
Maliki said during a visit to Jordan. 'It is merely blueprints still
under negotiation, and we have differences over those drafts.'
He was speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with his
Jordanian counterpart, Nader Dahabi.
With its UN mandate in Iraq set to expire in December, the US
government has been involved since March in lengthy negotiations with
Iraq over a strategic framework agreement, would lay out the basis
for long-term bilateral relations, and a status of forces agreement,
which would set the legal basis for the presence of US troops in Iraq
and spell out the legal rights and obligations of the troops.
The major sticking points in the negotiations include the US
demand for absolute powers in the anti-terror fight, which would
undermine Iraq's sovereignty, Iraqi legislator MP Hasan al-Sanid, who
is close to al-Maliki, said last week.
Iraq also rejects Washington's demand for absolute immunity from
prosecution under Iraqi law for its troops and independent security
contractors, he said.
Both parties hope to seal the deal by July and have tried to allay
objections within Iraq and the US with reassurances that the US
presence would not be permanent and would not be used to launch
attacks on neighbouring countries.
On Wednesday, US Major General Kevin Bergner, a military
spokesman, told reporters in Baghdad that the US has 'no intent' and
'no desire' for permanent bases for US forces in Iraq or to use Iraq
as a base for 'offensive purpose.'
US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and David Satterfield, the US
State Department's senior advisor for Iraq, are handling the
negotiations.
Crocker last week denied reports that the US was looking to
maintain control of Iraq's airspace.
The agreement will be made transparent to the public when
agreement is reached, and 'will reinforce the sovereignty of Iraq,'
Bergner said. Iraq's council of Representatives would have the final
say on whether the agreement 'is acceptable to the Iraqi people,' he
said.
In Washington, the talks have drawn fire from the Democratic-
controlled Congress. Democrats insists any agreement must be approved
by the US legislature and could bind the hands of the next president,
who will take office in January.
Satterfield said this week that the security agreement would not
require the approval of congress.
In Washington, a congressional security committee had asked for
and was to receive a closed-door briefing on the negotiations, the US
State Department said this week.
The top US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, told
Congress last month that more pullouts of the roughly 140,000 US
troops could begin this fall, but the majority are expected to remain
in the country at least until a new US president takes office next
year.
USA
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