<p>Iraq's premier Adel Abdel Mahdi confirmed Tuesday that he had received what the US said was a draft letter describing steps its military would take to "move out" of Iraq.</p>.<p>The Pentagon had said an unsigned draft version of the letter had been mistakenly sent, but the Iraqi premier disputed that claim.</p>.<p>In a cabinet meeting televised on Tuesday evening, Abdel Mahdi said he had received signed and translated copies at 8:00 pm local time (1700 GMT) Monday.</p>.<p>The letter discussed "redeploying with an aim to withdraw from the country. The expressions were very clear," he said.</p>.<p>The Iraqi prime minister said preliminary versions received in Arabic and English included a translation mistake, so his office requested a correction from the US military and new versions were duly sent.</p>.<p>"It was an official letter written in such a manner," Abdel Mahdi told ministers.</p>.<p>"It's not a piece of paper that fell off the printer or reached us by coincidence," he said.</p>.<p>AFP received a copy of the letter late Monday and verified its authenticity with both US and Iraqi officials.</p>.<p>In it, the head of Task Force-Iraq US Brigadier General William Seely informed his Iraqi counterparts that American troops were preparing to leave Iraq.</p>.<p>Seely wrote the US-led coalition would "be repositioning forces in the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement."</p>.<p>"In order to conduct this task, Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner," said the letter.</p>.<p>It said helicopters would be travelling in and around Baghdad's Green Zone where the US embassy is located as part of the preparations.</p>.<p>AFP could hear helicopters flying low over Baghdad throughout the night on Monday as well as Tuesday.</p>
<p>Iraq's premier Adel Abdel Mahdi confirmed Tuesday that he had received what the US said was a draft letter describing steps its military would take to "move out" of Iraq.</p>.<p>The Pentagon had said an unsigned draft version of the letter had been mistakenly sent, but the Iraqi premier disputed that claim.</p>.<p>In a cabinet meeting televised on Tuesday evening, Abdel Mahdi said he had received signed and translated copies at 8:00 pm local time (1700 GMT) Monday.</p>.<p>The letter discussed "redeploying with an aim to withdraw from the country. The expressions were very clear," he said.</p>.<p>The Iraqi prime minister said preliminary versions received in Arabic and English included a translation mistake, so his office requested a correction from the US military and new versions were duly sent.</p>.<p>"It was an official letter written in such a manner," Abdel Mahdi told ministers.</p>.<p>"It's not a piece of paper that fell off the printer or reached us by coincidence," he said.</p>.<p>AFP received a copy of the letter late Monday and verified its authenticity with both US and Iraqi officials.</p>.<p>In it, the head of Task Force-Iraq US Brigadier General William Seely informed his Iraqi counterparts that American troops were preparing to leave Iraq.</p>.<p>Seely wrote the US-led coalition would "be repositioning forces in the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement."</p>.<p>"In order to conduct this task, Coalition Forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner," said the letter.</p>.<p>It said helicopters would be travelling in and around Baghdad's Green Zone where the US embassy is located as part of the preparations.</p>.<p>AFP could hear helicopters flying low over Baghdad throughout the night on Monday as well as Tuesday.</p>