KA denies announcing final agreement on security pact

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Leader of the Kurdistan Alliance (KA) on Friday denied that his bloc has agreed on the security pact with the U.S. , calling on the U.S. administration to show more flexibility and good will through accepting the amendments made by the Iraqi government. “The KA is one of the main components of the Iraqi people and it always attends government discussion of the agreement and will not agree on any security deal which represents a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, but it believes that signing the deal with the U.S. side considers the best solution now,” Mahmoud Othman said, denying at the same time that his bloc had announced a final agreement on it. For nearly two weeks, Iraqi politicians have been considering the draft agreement, which would keep U.S. troops in Iraq through 2011 unless both sides agree that they could stay longer. The draft would also give the Iraqis a greater role in supervising U.S. military operations and allow Iraqi courts to try U.S. soldiers and contractors accused of major crimes off duty and off base. But critics say the draft, reached after months of tough negotiations, does not go far enough in protecting Iraqi sovereignty. The U.S. has suggested it may not be ready to accept changes. The agreement must be approved by the end of the year when the current U.N. mandate expires or the U.S. military would have to suspend all operations in Iraq . SH (S) 1