LONDON — Iraq has disclosed what officials termed a timetable for U.S. military withdrawal.

Officials said the withdrawal would begin in 2009 with the departure of U.S. troops from several major Iraqi cities. They said the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki expected the pullout to be completed around 2012.

"Our negotiators and the Americans have almost brought the accord to a close," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said.

In an interview on Aug. 14 with the London-based Times, Zebari said the U.S. military would withdraw from Iraqi cities in the summer of 2009. By that time, the foreign minister said, the U.S. military would no longer have the right to conduct unilateral operations in Iraq.

The Bush administration has refused to discuss a timetable for withdrawal. But administration officials acknowledged the prospect of a major drawdown of troops in 2009 should violence in Iraq remain at current levels.

"We are talking about combat troops, maybe in 2010-11," Zebari said. "There could be drawdowns."

Zebari said Iraq and the United States would establish a joint command to approve operations. He said the committee would also deal with any alleged violations of Iraqi law by U.S. troops.

The two countries began negotiations on the U.S. withdrawal agreement in February 2008. Officials said a status of forces accord was expected to be approved by the Iraqi parliament over the next few months.

"I think we can defend it, yes," Zebari said. "I would say that it is the most advanced version of a SOFA [status of forces agreement] ever that the United States has done with any other country."

Under the draft, the treaty could be reviewed by mutual agreement in 2010. Zebari said the United States would not be allowed to establish a permanent military base in Iraq.

"It is not a closed deal, but it is very close," Zebari said.

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