Home > Window on Washington > Archives > 2006 > October > 28 > Entry
Best friends, again
After a week when, at times, it looked like President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Miliki were not always on the same page concerning benchmarks and strategy, the two leaders issued this statement Saturday morning.
The White House sent it out shortly after The Associated Press reported that the Iraqi leader, in a Friday conversation with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, said he was Washington’s friend but “not America’s man in Iraq.�
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ
We were pleased to continue our consultations today. Via secure video, we discussed a range of issues of great importance to our common mission in Iraq, including the development of Iraqi security forces, efforts to promote reconciliation among all Iraqis, and the International Compact for Iraq and the economic reforms associated with it. As leaders of two great countries, we are committed to the security and prosperity of a democratic Iraq and the global fight against terrorism which affects all our citizens.
We have three common goals: accelerating the pace of training the Iraqi Security Force, Iraqi assumption of command and control over Iraqi forces, and transferring responsibility for security to the Government of Iraq. We have formed a high-level working group including the Iraqi National Security Advisor, Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior, General Casey, and Ambassador Khalilzad to make recommendations on how these goals can be best achieved. This working group will supplement existing mechanisms to better define our security partnership and enhance our coordination.
We are committed to the partnership our two countries and two governments have formed and will work in every way possible for a stable, democratic Iraq and for victory in the war on terror.
Permalink | |
