Any agreement must respect Iraq’s sovereignty – Sistani’s office

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Any agreement to end the foreign presence in Iraq and bring the country out of Chapter VII must be based on the notion of maintaining Iraqis’ higher interests and regaining full sovereignty, according to a statement by top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani’s office on Tuesday. Sistani “has notified all the political leaders during the past days and weeks that there has to be national accordance over any agreement,” read the statement as received by IraqiNews.com. “This comes in response to questions by many citizens about Sayyid Sistani’s position in this respect,” it added. The Iraqi government on Sunday had approved with overwhelming majority of 27 votes to one the long-term security pact between Baghdad and Washington, also known as the status of forces agreement (SOFA). “Any agreement that would impinge on Iraq’s political, security or economic sovereignty or fail to obtain national consensus cannot be accepted,” the statement added. AmR (P) 1