Cabinet approves amendments on security deal

Iraq-Amendments BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved the necessary amendments to the security agreement draft, scheduled to be signed with the U.S., the official spokesman for the Iraqi government said. “The council authorized Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to present these amendments to the U.S. side with the aim of reaching an agreement that preserves Iraq’s higher sovereignty and interests,” al-Dabagh said in a statement released from his office and received by IraqiNews.com. Negotiations are currently underway between the Iraqi and U.S. government over a long-term security agreement that is expected to regulate the presence of U.S. troops when a UN mandate expires at the end of 2008. A declaration of principles was signed between U.S. President George W. Bush and the Iraqi premier in December 2007. The declaration was scheduled to be ratified on July 31, 2008 and to come into force as of January 1, 2009. The agreement governs the presence of U.S. forces in the country after 2008 and will not come into force without the approval of the Iraqi Parliament, which has 275 members from five blocs, in addition to the Sadrist movement and al-Fadhila party. The U.S. troops’ presence currently relies on a mandate by the United Nations and is annually renewed at the request of the Iraqi government. SH (S)/SR 1