US must stay until Iraq forces ready-Iraqi leader

PARIS, Oct 31 (Reuters) US-led forces should only withdraw from Iraq when local security forces are able to maintain order on their own, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in a newspaper interview published today.

Talabani, who embarks on an official visit to France later this week, told the daily Le Figaro a civil war could still be avoided despite the heavy daily death toll in Iraq from bomb and other attacks, and said that al Qaeda's influence was declining.

''The international coalition will only withdraw when Iraqi security forces are ready to take over on their own the challenge of maintaining law and order,'' he told Le Figaro, adding international splits should not rebound on Iraq.

Discussions should focus ''not on the drawing up of a timetable for withdrawing American troops but on the goals that should be set for Iraqi forces so that they may continue to take over security in the regions,'' he said.

US President George W Bush's Republicans face possible loss of control of Congress in November 7 elections, with dismay over his Iraq policy a critical factor in voter intentions.

Polls show growing numbers of voters want the 150,000 US troops in Iraq to start coming home.

Talabani said Iraqi political leaders understood violence was not an option, ''therefore, civil war can be avoided.'' Foreign terrorists allied to groups linked to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein were in part to blame for the daily violence in Iraq, he added. Contacts had been made with some groups involved in guerrilla attacks on US-led and Iraqi forces in an effort to reduce the daily death toll and restore security.

''Previously, these contacts were limited to their disarmament.

Now, we are negotiating their integration into the political process in the context of national reconciliation,'' Talabani said.

On al Qaeda, the Iraqi leader said Osama bin Laden's group was on the decline. Sunni tribes in Anbar province had started fighting al Qaeda, which had received support from pro-Saddam groups and unnamed foreign forces.

REUTERS AB VV1430