NEW YORK, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The United States and Iraq are close to reaching a long-delayed security deal, the foreign ministers of both countries said on Saturday. Iraq's government is negotiating a new security pact with the United States that will provide a legal basis for U.S. troops to operate in Iraq when a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year. Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said at the beginning of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice the sides were in the final stages of negotiations. "We are very close. I have said many times that I think it is in the final stages and this would need the support of all the political leaders about this agreement," he said. "I hope there will be some good news for both of us and also to sustain and maintain the political and security gains that have been achieved in Iraq," he added. Rice also said there had been "good progress." "This is an important agreement. It is also not easy when you are working with a sovereign government and we intend to fully respect the sovereignty of Iraq," she said. But Rice said "certain protections" needed to be agreed for U.S. forces so they could continue to make security gains in Iraq, which the United States invaded in March 2003. "We are also working in the context of a long-term strategic framework that will make us allies and friends for a long, long time to come, she added." Iraq has said it wants all U.S. forces withdrawn by 2011 while the White House has said the agreement would include an "aspirational date." The United States plans to pull 8,000 troops out of Iraq by February, leaving a force of 138,000. (Reporting by Sue Pleming; editing by Alan Elsner)
Demonstrators display anti-U.S. military placards during a protest in Kufa, 120 km (75 miles) south of Baghdad September 26, 2008. Placards read, "Iraq will not become a U.S. colony". REUTERS/Ali Abu ...
