A U.S. soldier of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division looks at an Iraqi woman waiting in front of a police station in Baghdad's Sadr City July 9, 2008. Iraq will not accept any security agreement with the United States unless it includes dates for the withdrawal of foreign forces, the government's national security adviser said on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki publicly announced Monday that his country was seeking a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
"The current trend is to reach either a memorandum of understanding for the departure of the troops, or a memorandum of understanding for setting a timetable for their withdrawal," al-Maliki said during a meeting with a group of Arab ambassadors in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates,
Baghdad and Washington are currently holding talks aimed at reaching a deal on continued U.S. military presence in Iraq after a UN mandate expires in December.
The security pact, also known as Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), has to be signed by the end of July according to a declaration of principles agreed upon by U.S. President George W. Bush and al-Maliki last November.
Some observers point out that the Iraqi government has hardened its position in recent days because it thinks the Bush administration is eager to sign an agreement before the November elections, which could give Iraq a chance to win a better deal.
