Agence France-Presse,
BAGHDAD: Iraq warned on Wednesday it would not be bullied into signing a security pact with the United States despite US leaders warning of potentially dire consequences if it failed to approve the deal.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said Washington had now agreed to listen to requested changes to the controversial deal, which aims to govern the long-term presence of US troops in Iraq beyond 2008.
But the White House said the agreement, which has been the subject of months of tough negotiations, was more or less done, and any amendments would be merely fine-tuning.
To the apparent frustration of the Americans, the Iraqi cabinet decided on Tuesday to seek revisions to a deal that was originally supposed to have been sealed by the end of July.
But Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh lashed out at remarks by US military chief Michael Mullen who had said Baghdad risked significant security losses if an agreement is not concluded.
“It is not correct to force Iraqis into making a choice and it is not appropriate to talk with the Iraqis in this way,” Dabbagh said.
The draft deal calls for a withdrawal of US combat forces by the end of 2011 — more than eight years after the invasion — and includes US concessions on jurisdiction over its troops accused of “serious crimes” while off duty or off base.
But the draft has ignited fierce debate in Iraq, with radical anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr leading a wave of protests and even Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's aides voicing dissent.
“Yes, they are going to listen to the changes,” Zebari told AFP. “We will give the amendments in writing. They will study it and get back to us.”
But he added: “I don't think they are in the mood for renegotiating the deal altogether. We will see in the next few days.”
He warned it would be “difficult” to sign before the US presidential vote on November 4, given that the pact still has to go before parliament which can ratify or reject it.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said “the door wasn't slammed shut but it's pretty much closed in our opinion.”
And the Pentagon again accused US archfoe Iran of seeking to derail the accord.
“Iranian meddling in Iraq takes on all forms” including “an attempt by the Iranians to undermine, undercut, derail the SOFA (status of forces) agreement,” spokesman Geoff Morrell said.
US commanders have long accused Shiite Iran of meddling in the affairs of neighbouring Iraq by aiding militia groups in the country, charges denied by Tehran.
But Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani, speaking on a visit to Bahrain, said the deal “encroaches on the sovereignty (of Iraq), and does not allow the creation of a strong government.”
Mullen had said that if Baghdad delayed signing the deal beyond the December 31 expiry of the current UN mandate, its forces “will not be ready to provide for their security.”
“And in that regard there is great potential for losses of significant consequence.”
Dabbagh said such a statement was unwelcome.
“All Iraqis and their political entities are aware of their responsibilities and are assessing whether to sign the deal or not in a way that it is suitable to them.”
Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim Atta also insisted that domestic forces were ready to handle security nationwide, saying their numbers had increased and that they were already controlling 11 provinces.
Iraq is also due on Thursday to take over security in the southern province of Babil, the 12th of 18 in the country.
“Mullen's remark is an attempt to pressure the Iraqi side, but we will not be subjected to such tactics because our reservations are linked to the sovereignty and national interest of Iraq,” senior Shiite MP Abbas al-Bayati said.
“The American side should be more flexible because if they really want to pass this agreement, they should first stop launching such warnings which provoke Iraqis.”
Some cabinet ministers oppose a clause that allows Iraq to ask US forces to stay beyond 2011 if required for training local troops, raising fears that this could lead to a long-term presence.
Science and Technology Minister Raed Jahed Fahmi also said there were concerns over what would constitute “serious crimes” committed by American personnel for which they could be prosecuted under Iraqi law.
