(23 Jul 2009)
1. Wide of US President Barack Obama and Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki arriving for news conference in Rose garden, UPSOUND: (English) "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, accompanied by the Prime Minister of Iraq."
2. Cutaway Obama and al-Maliki at news conference UPSOUND: (English) "Good afternoon everybody."
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Barack Obama, US President:
"We'll move forward with our strategy to responsibly remove all American combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next August and to fulfil our commitment to remove all American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. As we move forward, Prime Minister Maliki and I have no doubt that there will be some tough days ahead. There will be attacks on Iraqi security forces and the American troops supporting them. There are still those in Iraq who would murder innocent men, women and children. There are still those who want to foment sectarian conflict. But make no mistake, those efforts will fail."
4. Cutaway Obama and al-Maliki
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister:
"We are about to activate such a strategic framework agreement. Efforts are present on both sides also to convene an investment conference in October of this year, that will combine all foreign investors and all companies that would wish to work in Iraq."
6. Cutaway Obama and al-Maliki at news conference
7. Wide of Obama and al-Maliki leaving
STORYLINE:
US President Barack Obama held a joint news conference on Wednesday with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and confirmed that the United States would stick to its schedule and remove all its troops from Iraq by the end of 2011, even though there would be "tough days ahead."
Standing in the Rose Garden alongside al-Maliki, Obama said the two nations were in the midst of a "full transition" that would be based on mutual interest and respect.
It was al-Maliki's first visit to the White House since Obama took office, a session that took place three weeks after US troops were pulled out of Iraqi cities and towns.
All US combat troops are to leave in August 2010 and the remainder of the US force will depart at the end of the next year.
Both leaders downplayed reports from Iraq that US forces, since pulling out of the cities, have not been given the flexibility called for under the Status of Forces Agreement to respond to attacks by remnants of al-Qaida in Iraq and Shiite militants.
Obama cited differences in strategy between Iraqi security forces and US troops who have pulled back from Iraqi cities but remain in the country.
"We'll move forward with our strategy to responsibly remove all American combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next August and to fulfil our commitment to remove all American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011," Obama said.
"There are still those in Iraq who would murder innocent men, women and children", Obama said. "But make no mistake, those efforts will fail," he added.
For his part, al-Maliki said the two presidents talked about "every possible area" where the US could play a role in working with the Iraqi government.
Al-Maliki was clearly looking toward a greater US role in rebuilding the shattered country and said Washington and Baghdad were preparing "an investment conference in October" that would be open to all foreign investors.
Iraq's massive oil reserves remain the greatest enticement for foreign investors.
Its drilling, extraction and pipeline infrastructure has crumbled over the past two decades and the petroleum sector is ripe for development.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
