US: No final troops deal

2008-08-25 21:15

Washington - The White House said on Monday there was no final accord with Baghdad on the future of US forces in Iraq, after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced a deal to pull all US forces out by 2011.

"These discussions continue, as we have not yet finalised an agreement," spokesperson Tony Fratto said, as US President George W Bush was on his annual August vacation on his Texas ranch.

He spoke after Maliki announced a breakthrough following months of negotiations on an agreement that would spell out the rights and responsibilities of US forces after a UN mandate for their presence expires in December.

"There is an agreement between the two sides that there will be no foreign soldiers in Iraq after 2011," Maliki said in a statement issued by his office.

'Great strides'

Fratto cited "great strides" by Iraqi security forces, but said any US troop pull-out would depend on conditions on the ground - not a hard-and-fast timetable for withdrawal.

"We're optimistic that Iraq and the US can reach a mutual agreement on flexible goals for US troops to continue to return on success, based on conditions on the ground, and allow Iraqi forces to provide security for a sovereign Iraq," he said.

On Friday, the chief Iraqi negotiator Mohammed al-Haj Hammoud told AFP that the security pact had been finalised by both sides and had already won Bush's approval, drawing a swift White House denial.

Hammoud said that under the 27-point deal, all American combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraqi cities by next June ahead of a complete withdrawal by 2011.

The US Defence Department also stressed that a final accord had yet to be reached.

"The agreement is not completed," spokesperson Bryan Whitman said at the Pentagon, adding that specifics were "still being worked through".

"That will continue to be a goal of the United States to be able to turn over those responsibilities to an ever-increasing, capable and equipped Iraqi security force," Whitman said.

Opposition from Iraqi leaders

Bush and Maliki had agreed last November to formalise an agreement by July 31 but ran into opposition from some Iraqi leaders over issues such as the timing of a US troop withdrawal, how many bases Washington would retain and whether US troops would be immune from Iraqi laws.

Hammoud said all issues had been addressed in the deal.

He added, however: "There is a provision that says the withdrawal could be done even before 2011 or extended beyond 2011 depending on the (security) situation."

Hammoud said that even if the withdrawal is completed by 2011, some US troops could remain to train Iraqi security forces.

Immunity offered to US soldiers currently in Iraq was one of the main sticking points in the negotiations which began in February.

The deal has drawn sharp criticism from Iraq's political factions, especially from the anti-US group of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

- AFP