Washington/Baghdad - The United States hailed Iraq's approval of a security pact Thursday as a significant milestone that solidifies US support for Iraq's reconstruction and sets a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in the coming years. "Today is a remarkable achievement for both of our countries," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters in Washington.
Iraq's Presidential Council, comprised of President Jalal Talabani and his two vice presidents, Adil Abdel Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashimi, approved the pact, which was passed by last week by the Iraqi Parliament.
US President George W Bush called Talabani to "thank him for his personal leadership" in getting the deal approved, said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for Bush's National Security Council.
Bush also spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to thank him for his work in shepherding the controversial agreement through Parliament, Johndroe said.
The deal, which has been under negotiation for nearly a year between Iraqi leaders and the outgoing Bush administration, calls for US forces to pull out of Iraqi towns and cities by the end of June 2009 and to withdraw from the country completely by 2011.
The US and Iraq had been under pressure to finish the deal before a United Nations mandate for US forces in the country expires at the end of this year.
The Iraqi Parliament passed the agreement last week after months of intense debate.
The Presidential Council's approval marks the last political major hurdle for the agreement, though Iraq has indicated it will hold a nationwide referendum in July. The deal does not have to be approved by the US Congress.
Iraqi leaders "recognize that they are going to continue to need our help for the next little while. But we have a path now to help our troops get home," Perino said.
US president-elect Barack Obama, in a phone call Wednesday with al-Maliki, promised to implement the security agreement, calling it a "new phase" in relations between the two countries, Iraqi national television reported.
