"Multinational Force-Iraq is here only at the request of the government
of Iraq, and will only stay at the request of the sovereign government of
Iraq," the U.S. Army general said. "Any agreement on the presence of forces
will also include the necessary coordinating mechanisms that would further
respect Iraq's sovereignty."
Still, Bergner as well as other U.S. spokespeople would not fix a date
for an American troop withdrawal from Iraq. He said the negotiations for a
security pact, meant to be completed by July 2008, were at an early stage.
On Thursday, the U.S. effort to reassure Iraq continued. U.S. ambassador
to Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, stressed that Washington does not plan a permanent
military presence in Iraq, and that the proposed agreement would be reviewed
periodically and renewed.
Under the U.S. proposal, the ambassador said, Iraq would assume
responsibility for its air space as the air force improves. Crocker said the
agreement would not contain secret provisions.
"It is not going to be forever," Crocker told a State Department
briefing. "There isn't going to be an agreement that infringes on Iraqi
sovereignty. This will be a serious negotiation and there aren't going to be
any efforts to play around with words on this."
