White House says no 'hard date' for withdrawal in Iraq talks

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House said Monday it is not negotiating a "hard date" for a US withdrawal from Iraq despite Baghdad's call for a timetable, but did not rule out "time-frames" discussions with the Iraqi government.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said for the first time Monday that Iraq was seeking such a timetable as part of its negotiations with Washington on the status of US forces in Iraq beyond 2008.

But White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said the talks were aimed at reaching agreement on a framework for future US-Iraqi relations and on the arrangements that will govern the US military presence.

"It is important to understand that these are not talks on a hard date for a withdrawal," he said.

"As Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker has...