US rejects two Iraqi amendments

Baghdad: The US administration agreed on three amendments out of five amendments that were proposed by the Iraqi government on the draft security agreement with the Americans.

Kurdish sources close to the Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani told Gulf News that the Americans informed Barzani in Baghdad about the content of their response to the Iraqi amendments.

These top officials added that the US approved the following three amendments:

Abolition of the paragraph on the possible continuation of US troops in Iraq beyond the year 2011;

Cancelling the paragraph allowing postponement or review of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi cities, districts and villages in mid-2009;

Recording the explanations that the Iraqi government wanted on the difference between Arabic and English texts in the draft agreement.

The same Kurdish sources said that the Americans rejected following two amendments:

Iraqi government's involvement in any committee meant to determine specifics of violations by US soldiers which puts them under the purview of the Iraqi law and judiciary;

Inspection of any equipment or mail of the US forces which enters or exits Iraqi territory.

Mahmoud Othman, a senior leader in the Kurdish Alliance and close to the President Jalal Al Talabani told Gulf News, "The information confirmed that the Iraqi leaders are on the verge of signing the security agreement with Americans before the end of this year because the new American president Barack Obama will be in the first six months of his rule, busy with challenges and US internal files. This is why the Iraqis will be forced to sign the agreement soon."

It is reported in the Iraqi parliament that the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki might sign the agreement without having it passed to the parliament.

Sources in the United Iraqi Alliance led by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim are expecting a political consensus on the deal within the Executive Council and the Council of Ministers after which the agreement will be passed on to parliament for approval.

Al Maliki might sign the agreement without having it passed in the parliament