MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Thursday for a step-by-step withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, saying it is necessary to determine the date of the withdrawal, the Russian medi a reported.

    "We believe it necessary to work out a schedule of gradual withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq. Many Iraqis consider them occupational," Putin said at a joint new conference after meeting with visiting Jordanian King Abdallah II in the Russian president's residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

    Putin noted that a scheduled and phased pullout of foreign troops from Iraq would help the country in building a new political system, according to the Interfax news agency.

    The president said "all principal ethnic and religious groups and political parties, including leading opposition forces, should take part in the intra-Iraqi dialogue."

    "This is particularly important now that the adoption of a new Iraqi constitution and the organization of elections under Resolution 1546 of the UN Security Council are on the agenda," Putin said.

    He also advocated deeper international involvement in the Iraqi settlement process. "The Sharm al-Sheikh format has earned itself a good reputation. We believe that holding a new international conference of this kind before the end of this year would give added impulse to the normalization of the situation," Putin said.

    He is convinced that the international "quartet" of mediators should continue their efforts towards restoring the peace process in the Middle East, the Interfax said. Enditem