Iraqi government denies approval to extend U.S. troops presence in Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Official Spokesman for the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbagh, has denied on Friday that his government had approved the statement by the U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, that the government had agreed to extend the presence of the American forces in Iraq after 2011.   “The Official Spokesman for the Iraqi government, Ali al-Dabbagh, denies the statement of the U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, that the Iraqi government had agreed to extend the presence of the American forces in Iraq after 2011,” a statement by Dabbagh’s office, copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency reported.   The statement quoted Dabbagh as saying that “the meeting of the Political Blocs had approved the need for training the Iraqi Security and Military forces, but official negotiations have not started yet to decide the type, period and number of the needed (US) training forces, according to which the need for the presence   or non-presence of such training forces in Iraq is decided.”   SKH (IT)     623