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Iraq seeks to change troop deal | Iraq seeks to change troop deal |
(40 minutes later) | |
Iraq's ruling coalition says it wants to make changes to a draft long-term security pact with the US. | |
American and Iraqi officials had previously said the draft agreement was final and would not be changed. | |
The deal would allow US forces to stay in Iraq until 2011 and grant Iraq limited authority to prosecute troops. | |
The agreement has been the subject of negotiations for months and must be approved by Iraq's parliament by the end of the year. | |
Parliamentary approval is expected to be more likely if the deal is rubber-stamped by Iraq's Political Council for National Security. | Parliamentary approval is expected to be more likely if the deal is rubber-stamped by Iraq's Political Council for National Security. |
The council - composed of top political leaders and the heads of parliamentary factions - met on Friday and is expected to meet again soon to hear from military figures. | The council - composed of top political leaders and the heads of parliamentary factions - met on Friday and is expected to meet again soon to hear from military figures. |
In a statement released on Sunday, the ruling United Iraqi Alliance - the coalition which includes the party of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki - praised some elements of the draft but said others needed more work. | |
Correspondents say it is significant that the bloc containing Mr Maliki's own party is publicly calling for changes. | |
On Saturday, an estimated 50,000 supporters of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr marched in Baghdad to call for US troops to leave Iraq. | |
The UN mandate for US-led coalition forces expires at the end of this year. About 144,000 of the 152,000 foreign troops deployed there are US military personnel. | The UN mandate for US-led coalition forces expires at the end of this year. About 144,000 of the 152,000 foreign troops deployed there are US military personnel. |