UK and Iraq prepare for security agreement

In light of US endeavors to conclude a security agreement with Baghdad and in aim to hold a similar British security deal in order to ensure a legal cover for UK troops in Iraq, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki met with British Defense Secretary John Hutton who arrived to Baghdad on Sunday in a surprise visit. The new Defense Secretary’s visit is aimed to discuss the future of British troops in Iraq, a statement by the ministerial council’s media office said affirming that both parties have agreed to reach an agreement in this regard before the expiration of the UN mandate at the end of the current year. After meeting with Hutton, Al Maliki announced that Iraq will form a negotiating team to discuss the future of the presence of British forces in the country stressing the necessity to reach an agreement in this regard.
For his part, the British Secretary affirmed that he has accompanied a British delegation from London to discuss the status of British Forces in Iraq with Iraqi officials. He underlined as well his country’s willingness to encourage British companies to contribute to Iraq reconstruction and invest in the country saying that Al Maliki has confirmed that it is time to build a better relation with the states who stood beside Iraq against dictatorship.
Hutton extended an official invitation to Iraqi Prime Minister to attend a senior economic conference in Britain.
British Defense Secretary met as well his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Qader Al Ubaidi and discussed with him a mechanism for bilateral cooperation in the military field mainly regarding training of Iraqi forces by UK troops. Both officials discussed as well mechanisms to start talks between Baghdad and London in order to put forth legal frameworks to the presence of British troops in Iraq which terminates at the end of the current year.

Source: www.alsumaria.tv