Source: IRIB News Network, 06-06-2008

Influential Iraqi Marja' (source of jurisprudence) Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Sistani rejected a US-prepared draft security agreement to continue presence in Iraq, Iraqi newspapers reported Thursday.

According to the newspapers, Ayatollah Sistani laid four conditions for any such agreement to be approved, adding that he was against any long term security pact with America.

Ayatollah Sistani had demanded that any such pacts preserve Iraqi national sovereignty and be transparent enough. He also demanded that any such pacts receive a national consensus and be ratified by the Iraqi parliament.

Meanwhile, Sayyed Abdel-Aziz Hakim, the prominent Iraqi figure met Sistani in Najaf Wednesday to discuss the draft security agreement.

The head of the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq said after the meeting that the Iraqi parties have a negative view about the agreement as it breaches the Iraqi sovereignty and fails to bring Iraq out of the UN custody.