Baghdad: As the Iraqi government is reviewing the US proposed draft of the Status of Forces agreement, Gulf News has learnt of four fundamental changes Baghdad plans to propose to the US.
Sami Al Askari, advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, said that Iraq wants to amend the paragraph on US withdrawal from Iraqi towns and villages by the end of 2009, adding a clause for possible extension of this deadline.
Secondly, the government wants to remove the paragraph that says the Iraqi government has the right to request US troops to stay until after 2011.
Third, Baghdad will ask Washington to remove the clause of the draft that gives US aircrafts authorisation to fly over Iraqi airspace and to stop in Iraq to refuel. Al Askari attributed this to fear among Iraqi politicians that the US would use Iraqi territory to launch attacks on other countries, specifically Iran.
Finally, the Iraqi government wants to review the clause on immunity of US troops, which has proved to be the most contentious issue between the parties.