National security council supports deal-negotiating team
Baghdad, 20 July 2008 (Voices of Iraq)
raq’s national security council expressed support for the Iraqi delegation negotiating a long-term security agreement with the United States, according to a presidential statement on Sunday.
“The Political Council for National Security had met at Iraqi President Jalal Talabani’s office on Saturday to discuss recent developments on the track of negotiations currently taking place between the Iraqi and U.S. sides to broker a long-term strategic agreement,” read the statement received by Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).
A declaration of principles had been signed by U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in December 2007. The declaration was planned to be ratified on July 31, 2008, to be effective as of January 1, 2009.
The agreement should govern the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq after the year 2008. This presence is currently depending on a mandate by the UN, renewed annually upon the request of the Iraqi government.
The deal should not be effective before a 275-member Iraqi parliament approves it.
The statement quoted Nusseir al-Aani, the chief of the presidential cabinet, as saying that the council agreed the Iraqi delegation continue negotiations to reach the best possible results guaranteeing the Iraqi people’s interests and maintain the country’s sovereignty.
“Representatives of all parliamentary blocs and political powers exchanged views on the deal during the two-hour meeting held under President Talabani,” said Aani.
The meeting was attended by Premier Maliki, Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi, Deputy Premier Burham Ahmed Saleh, Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani and figures representing other parliamentary blocs.