Iraq/United States

Rice says US and Iraq close to troop agreement

Article published on the 2008-08-21 Latest update 2008-08-22 10:49 TU

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
(Credit: Reuters)

Washington and Baghdad are "very, very close" to an agreement on the future of US forces in Iraq, said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during a surprise visit to the country. Rice added however that the deal had not yet been confirmed as she arrived in the Iraqi capital for a series of meetings with Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

"We are very, very close to a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) but it's not done," Rice told reporters.

"Undoubtedly it's true that the negotiators have taken this very, very far towards an end-agreement but there is no reason to believe that there is an agreement," she said.

Under the pact The Status of Forces Agreement would govern troop levels and would allow the US military to operate after a UN mandate expires at the end of the year.

US President George Bush and Maliki agreed in principle last November to sign a Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq by the end of July, but controversy has delayed the arrangement.

Baghdad has expressed reservations about how many bases Washington should keep, the detention of Iraqi civilians, and what immunity US troops should have.

The proposed agreement has drawn criticism from Iraqi political factions, especially from influential Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

With some 142,500 American troops still in Iraq, the issue play a large role in the US as the November presidential election draws nearer.