The United States and Iraq have agreed to start negotiations next year about the future relationship of the two countries, the White House said last night.
íPresident George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki agreed to a "declaration of principles" that will guide talks on agreements to cover a long-term relationship between the two countries.
Lt Gen. Douglas Lute, White House deputy national security adviser
The principles included defending a democratic Iraq against internal and external threats; encouraging foreign investments, especially American, to contribute to reconstruction and rebuilding; and supporting Iraq joining the World Trade Organization.
They also agreed it was important to provide security assurances "to deter foreign aggression against Iraq" and support its fight against terrorism, according to the White House.
"The two negotiating teams, Iraq and the United States, now have a common sheet of music with which to begin the negotiations," said Lieut Gen Douglas Lute, White House deputy national security adviser.
The Iraqi government will ask for a one-year final extension of the UN Security Council mandate of the multinational force in Iraq that expires at the end of this year, according to the Bush-Maliki agreement.
After that, bilateral agreements would govern US-Iraqi relations.
Mr Maliki stressed the importance of ending that mandate for the coalition forces in Iraq.
"This is a goal pursued by all Iraqis who love their homeland and love it to be normal again without all the consequences it endured because of the policies and adventures of the previous (Saddam Hussein) regime," he said in a speech at his residence at the fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad.
There are currently 164,000 US troops in Iraq.