Window closing 'rapidly' on Iraq security pact talks: US

IRAQ WARS

Iraq defence ministry bars staff from politics
Iraq's defence ministry has forbidden its civil servants and members of the armed forces from joining political parties or taking part in any activity linked to elections. Anyone on the ministry payroll found to be involved in political activity will be liable to up to five years in prison, according to a pledge that staff are being asked to sign. On Thursday, Defence Minister Abdel Qader Mohammed Jassem Obeidi was the first person to sign the undertaking, followed by members of his senior staff. "Under the law, civil servants in this ministry cannot have any affiliation while they are serving the Iraqi army. "I confirm that in the approach to the provincial elections (planned for late January) soldiers' only mission will be to protect polling stations and the free expression of voters," he said during a ceremony at the ministry. "Politicisation is damaging the Iraqi army ... Our task is the protection of our country. This forbids us from taking the orders or wearing the favours of any political party," he said. The army comprises 260,000 men posted all over the country. The pledge imposes "a prohibition on all civilian or military employees of the defence ministry or deparments controlled by the ministry from being a candidate in the elections, from taking part in the campaign or supporting a candidate." It stipulates a prison sentence of up to five years for anyone who attends a political meeting, joins a political party, takes part in a demonstration or incites others to do so or who publishes political writings.

by Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) Oct 30, 2008
The United States warned Thursday that the window on difficult negotiations for a US-Iraq security pact is "rapidly coming to a close" as it reviewed proposed Iraqi changes to the deal.

"I really don't want to comment until we've had a chance to really review them," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood told reporters when asked about the proposed amendments.

"But, you know, as we said, we think we have a good agreement. And the window for any kind of discussions, negotiations is ... rapidly coming to a close," Wood added.

"So I'll just leave it at that. Once we have something to say on it, we will," he said. "But for the moment, we're just taking our time in reviewing it to make sure that ... we've got a good sense of what it is the Iraqis have put forward."

President George W. Bush on Wednesday promised to consider Baghdad's proposed changes but warned against shifts that risked "undermining" the accord.

"We received amendments today (Wednesday) from the government. We're analyzing those amendments. We obviously want to be helpful and constructive without undermining basic principles," Bush told reporters.

Bush, who did not spell out what sorts of changes to the planned Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) would be unacceptable, declared he was "very hopeful and confident that the SOFA will get passed."

The US president had hoped to have the accord in hand by July 31, but now is all but certain not to see it approved before the November 4 elections to choose his successor.

The draft version has drawn fire from Iraqi political figures on grounds that it undermines their war-torn country's sovereignty, likely to be a key theme in local and regional elections set for January 31.

Radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr opposes the pact, while top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has warned through a statement from his office that any final deal must not harm Iraqi sovereignty.

The Iraqi cabinet has authorized Maliki to negotiate changes in the pact, which will lay out the rights and responsibilities of US forces in Iraq beyond December 2008 when their present UN mandate expires.

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IRAQ WARS

Iraq opposes any clause letting US stay after 2011

Baghdad (AFP) Oct 30, 2008
Baghdad wants to delete any reference in a security pact with Washington to the possibility of US troops staying in Iraq after 2011, an MP close to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday.

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