LOC18:51
15:51 GMT
By Mohamed al-Ghazi
BAGHDAD, Nov 25 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdel-Mahdi said here
Sunday the Iraqi government would issue a declaration of intent soon,
reshaping Iraq's relation with the US and setting a timetable for the presence
of multinational forces in Iraq.
He made the remarks during a news conference following a gathering of the
Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.
"The Iraqi government will issue a declaration of intent in order to
clarify the shape of the relation with the US," he said.
But, he said such a declaration would envision an agreement that could set
a schedule for the presence of multinational forces on Iraq's soil.
He added that the Iraqi government would extend the mandate of
multinational forces in Iraq at the advent of next month, making it clear that
this "would be the final extension that would be followed by an agreement that
could restore Iraq's full sovereignty."
The Iraqi vice president reiterated support for putting a federal system in
place and enacting a law of regions.
"The federal system is neither a luxurious matter nor an ideological
stance. Rather, it is a fact and a constitutional demand that should be put in
place. The Iraqi people voted for that, and the parliament adopted a draft law
on the formation of regions. We have a few months ahead to arrive at a final
formula," Abdel-Mahdi said.
The federal system will be conducive to a genuine political system in Iraq,
he added. (end)
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