U.S. Accepts Some Amendments to Troops Pact: Iraq

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh speaks during an interview with Reuters in Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad September 13, 2008. Picture taken September 13, 2008.

(Ceerwan Aziz/Reuters )

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States has accepted some Iraqi proposals to change a pact governing the presence of U.S. troops, but had reservations about others, necessitating further talks, Iraq said Thursday.

"America has responded and the Iraqi side has received the American response. They had some remarks on some of the amendments, which now requires meetings with the Americans to reach a common understanding," government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Reuters.

After months of talks, Baghdad and Washington initially agreed a text last month. But before signing off on it, Iraq's cabinet demanded amendments, including tighter language that would commit U.S. forces to withdrawing by the end of 2011 and clarify when U.S. troops could be tried in Iraqi court.

Dabbagh would not comment on which amendments had been accepted and which rejected. A U.S. embassy spokeswoman was not immediately able to comment on the issue.

(Reporting by Mariam Karouny; writing by Peter Graff; Editing by Charles Dick)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=6195286