Iraq PM says wants coalition forces to stay

[Eugene]

Iraq PM says wants coalition forces to stay

Tuesday, December 06, 2005 5:10:27 AM ET

By Masayuki Kitano

TOKYO (Reuters) - Iraq wants multinational forces to stay until it
has built up a military that is capable of maintaining security in
the country, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said on Tuesday.

In a news conference during a visit to Japan, Jaafari also praised
the conduct of the court handling the trial of former Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein, saying it was democratic and just.

"We don't want this withdrawal to happen before we fully have
established our armed forces and they are capable of maintaining
security and peace in Iraq," Jaafari said through an interpreter,
referring to multinational forces in Iraq..

"We hope that the process of withdrawal of multinational forces from
Iraq will be planned and executed together with the Iraqi government,"
he said.

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Full article: http://www.metronews.ca/reuters_international.asp?id=113739

Jaafari is also asking for Japanese troops to extend their mission in Iraq.