BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi government said Thursday that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has called Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and confirmed his commitment to responsible withdrawal for U.S. troops from Iraq.
In a statement issued by Maliki's office, Obama pledged to Maliki in his call late on Wednesday that his country will "respect the sovereignty of Iraq and integration of its land, along with working together to ward off terrorists and responsible withdrawal."
Obama also thanked Maliki's government for its efforts in gaining parliament's approval of a security pact that stated U.S. troops will pull out in three years.
Maliki said he is keen to promote bilateral relations in the framework of strategic cooperation agreement that would serve the interests of the two countries, the statement said.
During his election campaign, Obama had said that he intends to get the American soldiers in Iraq home within 16 months after carrying the post of commander in chief.
Late last month, Iraq signed a key security agreement which will keep the U.S. military presence here for another three years.
BAGHDAD, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi presidency council approved on Thursday a security pact that would allow the U.S. troops to stay here another three years, a spokesman said.
"The presidency council has ratified the security deal with theUnited States," presidency council spokesman Naseer al-Ani told Xinhua. Full story
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama reiterated on Monday his plan to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Iraq in the first 16 month after he takes office.
Obama told a press conference in his transition office headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, that he still believes 16 months is the "right time frame" to redeploy U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Full story
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- With no more than two months left in his term, U.S. President George W. Bush, for the first time, admitted in public that "intelligence failure" on Iraq was his "biggest regret" during the eight-year administration, according to a TV interview to be broadcast on Monday. Full story
BAGHDAD, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi parliament on Thursday voted for a key security agreement which will keep the U.S. military presence here for another three years.
The agreement was passed with 149 of the 198 lawmakers present voting in favor. The parliament has 275 seats. Full story
