Leaders of Iraq's political forces, meeting under patronage of President Jalal Talabani earlier this week, agreed to keep American trainers to train Iraqi forces but would not grant them immunity as requested by Washington.

"The political parties agreed not to grant any immunity for the American trainers," Deputy Prime Minister Roz Nouri Shawis read a statement after the meeting.

"The Iraqi Forces need for the American trainers will be without any immunity," he added.

He said they agreed to have full sovereignty over all Iraqi territories as well as implementing the security agreement with the US.

The statement noted that the US trainers would not be allowed to arrest nor carry out military acts. The trainers, it added, would be subjected to the Iraqi laws, with a mandate of improving capabilities of Iraqi Forces against foreign aggression.

Iraqi Government Spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh said the political parties agreed on the need of training but "immunity was not necessary for the trainers." Al-Dabbagh said they also agreed that training should take place on Iraqi facilities.

He acknowledged that this position might not be accepted by the US, which had already emphasized that no American soldier would remain in Iraq following the withdrawal without immunity.

American Forces Spokesman in Iraq said he was certain his government would not approve this position as long as there would not be a legal protection for the trainers.

 

Source: Kuwait News Agency