US, Iraq set up working group to improve security

Washington, Oct 29 (UNI) The US President George W Bush and the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have announced the formation of a high-level working group to improve security in Iraq, ignoring flurry of media reports of tension between the two countries over the handling of the deteriorating security situation.

The announcement came after a video conference call between President Bush and al-Maliki yesterday.

They also issued a joint-statement, identifying three common goals: to accelerate the pace of training the Iraqi security force, to have Iraqis assume command and control over those forces and to transfer responsibility for security to the Iraqi government.

Mr Bush also reaffirmed his support for Iraqi leader.

The group includes the Iraqi national security advisor and ministers of defence and interior, along with US Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and US General George Casey, commander of Multi-National forces in Iraq.

The group will make recommendations on how these goals could best be achieved, says the joint statement.

President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki said in their statement that the new working group ''will supplement existing mechanisms to better define our security partnership and enhance our coordination.'' Bush and Maliki declared themselves to be committed to the ongoing partnership between their countries and pledged to ''work in every way possible for a stable, democratic Iraq and for victory in the war on terror.'' Differences between the two countries appeared last week after the US officials reportedly insisted on Iraq accepting a timetable for putting an end to the growing sectarian violence.

Mr al-Maliki said no outside power could decide his government's agenda, and added he had his own plan for ending the bloodshed.

Iraq has become a major issue in the US Congressional election scheduled to take place on November 7.

Speaking at a campaign meeting in the mid-west state of Indiana Mr Bush said his party had a plan for victory in Iraq.

''We have got a security track, so that Iraqis can defend themselves. We have got a political track so that the government is of and by and for the people and an economic track to help them realise vast potential of that country. We will succeed.

The only way we will not succeed is if we leave before the job is done,'' Mr Bush said.

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