<p>But Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Tuesday a final agreement was still far away, and cautioned that Baghdad could still insist the US military leave by the end of 2011 as required under a 2008 security agreement. “The government still might not do it (allow US troops to stay),” Zebari said after the closed-door discussions. “This is a politically highly charged issue, and there was division,” he said. “But this meeting unified all the political leaders to back the government and start the negotiations.”<br /><br />Zebari said no details were settled like how many US troops would stay, or for how long, or whether they would be given legal immunity from prosecution.<br /><br />Those issues will be key factors as Washington weighs whether it will continue its military presence in Iraq after more than eight years of war.<br /><br />In a statement, the US Embassy in Baghdad said it would review the Iraqi leaders' decision. “We are committed to a broad and long-term partnership with the Iraqi people, and will review our security relationship within that context,” the statement said.<br /><br />The issue has put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in an uncomfortable position with one of his top allies, anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is bent on driving American forces from the country.<br /></p>
<p>But Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Tuesday a final agreement was still far away, and cautioned that Baghdad could still insist the US military leave by the end of 2011 as required under a 2008 security agreement. “The government still might not do it (allow US troops to stay),” Zebari said after the closed-door discussions. “This is a politically highly charged issue, and there was division,” he said. “But this meeting unified all the political leaders to back the government and start the negotiations.”<br /><br />Zebari said no details were settled like how many US troops would stay, or for how long, or whether they would be given legal immunity from prosecution.<br /><br />Those issues will be key factors as Washington weighs whether it will continue its military presence in Iraq after more than eight years of war.<br /><br />In a statement, the US Embassy in Baghdad said it would review the Iraqi leaders' decision. “We are committed to a broad and long-term partnership with the Iraqi people, and will review our security relationship within that context,” the statement said.<br /><br />The issue has put Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in an uncomfortable position with one of his top allies, anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is bent on driving American forces from the country.<br /></p>