Iraqis could assume security by June 2007: Maliki

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said today that his country's forces would be able to assume security command by June 2007 -- which could allow the United States to start withdrawing its troops.

''I cannot answer on behalf of the US administration but I can tell you that from our side our forces will be ready by June 2007,'' Maliki told ABC television after meeting US President George W Bush in Jordan.

Maliki was replying to a question about whether US troops could start withdrawing at that time. ABC released a transcript of the interview ahead of its broadcast later in the day.

''At the beginning of next year we will increase the training of our forces ... When they reach an acceptable level, we can talk about transferring power from multinational forces to Iraqi forces,'' Maliki said.

''I can say that Iraqi forces will be ready, fully ready to receive this command and to command its own forces, and I can tell you that by next June our forces will be ready.'' A leaked White House document that was reported by the New York Times yesterday suggested that Washington lacked confidence in Maliki's ability to rein in the violence in Iraq.

Asked about this, Maliki rejected the notion that he is incapable of getting militias -- including the militia run by radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr -- under control. But he added that Iraqi security forces needed more weapons and training.

''Now we are talking to the multinational forces to disarm all militias, all of them without exception. What is unfortunate now is that our forces are not completely trained, they don't have the necessary weapons,'' he said.

''We are going to face all militias with no exception.'' REUTERS PB BST0011