Iraqi minister tells UN council security improving

UNITED NATIONS —  Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops are gaining the upper hand but the government still needs outside help maintaining control, Iraq’s foreign minister told the U.N. Security Council on Friday.

“Their efforts have won them the trust and cooperation of the Iraqi people and, with the support of the multinational forces, they have turned the corner in the fight against the insurgency and terrorism in Iraq,” Hoshyar Zebari said.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, this month’s council president, also cited “significant” security gains in Iraq, where he was the chief U.S. envoy before taking his U.N. post.

But Zebari said Iraq’s 600,000-strong security forces, now responsible for protecting about half the nation’s 18 provinces, still fall “short of being able to independently assume full responsibility for the maintenance of security in all Iraqi territory.”

Zebari said Iraq “welcomes the continued support” of international forces. “We also note, and encourage, the trend to increase the presence of the United Nations and its specialized agencies in Iraq,” he said.

He asked the council for help with Iraq’s foreign debts, saying it is “burdened by the heavy legacy of debt incurred by the previous regime.”

Diplomats say Iraq also worries it could lose immunity against lawsuits from victims of the late Saddam Hussein’s regime once the U.N. mandate for international forces in Iraq -- mostly U.S. troops -- ends Dec. 31.

Among the options before the council are to extend the mandate past 2008 to give time to work out the immunity issue and for Iraq and the U.S. to agree on a long-term treaty.

“We’re committing to working with them to find an alternative framework,” said Khalilzad, speaking for the council.

The United States is negotiating for a long-term security relationship with Iraq that would provide a legal basis for the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq after the U.N. mandate expires. But on Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the talks were deadlocked.

Zebari told reporters there were “difficulties” in the talks over questions about immunity, sovereignty and other issues.

But, he added: “Well, I’m hopeful, you see, because Iraq does need, you see, this agreement, I think, and it corresponds to its needs for the time being.”

(This version CORRECTS Corrects first name of foreign minister to Hoshyar sted Hoshiyar.)