BAGHDAD: The United States insisted yesterday that a planned security pact with Baghdad would ensure full Iraqi sovereignty as local leaders pondered over the deal amid fierce opposition by some key players.
“It is an important agreement that fully restores Iraq’s sovereignty while allowing US forces to continue for a temporary time to assist Iraqi security forces,” the US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, said in a speech in Baghdad. His remark came as the Iraqi Cabinet and the high-level Political Council for National Security discussed the controversial draft agreement for a second day, before passing it to the Cabinet for review.
The pact, which aims to lay down a framework for the presence of US-led troops after a UN mandate expires at the end of the year, has drawn fierce opposition from some political groups.
Powerful anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr is strongly opposed to the deal, and even members of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s ruling alliance have come out against it, calling for revisions.
The so-called Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) was due to be concluded by the end of July but negotiations between Baghdad and Washington became bogged down over a series of sticking points. “We are continuing our talks with the Iraqis and the Iraqis are talking among themselves. That is to be expected and we hope to move forward on this,” US embassy spokeswoman Susan Ziadeh said.
