Negroponte pledges U.S. help to Basra

BASRA/IraqiNews.com: The US Deputy Secretary of State on Tuesday called for building on security achievement and to translate the progress into revitalisation of the economy and delivery of critical infrastructure and services to the population. “The visit made to Basra and a number of provinces showed signs of Iraq’s bright future and highlighted the continuation of U.S.-Iraqi ties and their progress,” U.S top diplomat John Negroponte told IraqiNews.com. “It is important to build on the security achievements made through encouraging investment to enhance Basra’s economy,” The U.S. official noted. Against the backdrop of improved security, Baghdad and Washington are trying to hammer out a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) to outline the role of US troops in Iraq after a United Nations Security Council mandate expires at the end of 2008. Negroponte, who is wrapping up a four-day trip to Iraq, refused to discuss specifics of the talks, saying only that “both countries are pursuing this issue from the point of view of their own national self-interest”. Basra has seen a massive reconstruction campaign in the wake of calm that predominate the province after launching a military operation to impose the rule of law and to crack down on gunmen. Basra, an oil-hub and Iraq’s only getaway to the Gulf, lies 590 km south Baghdad. AM(S) 1