Iraq Says US Should Withdraw on Schedule

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh has declared that the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq will not be extended.

Dabbagh stressed that Iraq is committed to adhere to the withdrawal schedule in the security pact between the two countries, adding Baghdad does not want to change the withdrawal schedule.

The pact obliges the US to withdraw its combat troops from all Iraqi towns and cities by the end of June and to fully withdraw from Iraq by the end of 2011.

"These dates cannot be extended and this is consistent with the transfer and handover of responsibility to Iraqi security forces," Reuters quoted Dabbagh as saying.

Dabbagh's statement ended months of speculation about whether US combat troops would remain in the restive northern city of Mosul beyond June.

The Iraqi statement comes as Major-General David Perkins, the chief US military spokesman in Iraq, said last week that Mosul might be the one place where US combat troops might stay beyond June if requested to do so by the Iraqi government.

"It is quite honestly ... the one area where you are most likely to possibly see a decision for US forces to remain there, probably more so than any other place, just based on the activity there (and) the capability of Iraqi security forces," Perkins said referring to Mosul.