Maliki: Pact with US facing obstacles.

Summary: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday warned that the contentious security pact with the United States was facing "serious and dangerous obstacles."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday warned that the contentious security pact with the United States was facing "serious and dangerous obstacles." "There is very serious and dangerous obstacles to the deal," Maliki was quoted as saying by AFP.

"They (US negotiators) requested 10 to 14 days to respond to our demands and the time is over now. American negotiators have not responded to our proposals.

"If they implement our demand quickly, the deal will be signed soon, but if they refuse our demands, it will face obstacles and could lead to new negotiations."

Iraqi negotiators have demanded that American soldiers should be subjected to Iraqi laws if they commit "grave and intentional mistakes." US soldiers currently are immune from Iraqi laws.

"There is still a dispute over the issue of immunity to American soldiers," Maliki said. "The present demands of Iraq are related to the country's sovereignty. Iraqis have shown flexibility and we hope that the American side shows more flexibility."

Maliki also said both sides have agreed "that by December 2011 all American troops will leave Iraqi soil." "The Americans have agreed on this. At the beginning, we demanded that they leave by 2010, but they (Americans) asked to leave by 2011."

2008 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

2008 Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com)

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