Ayatollah Sistani: No to violation of Iraq΄s sovereignty

Source: Presstv.ir, 10-11-2008
Iraq's most revered Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani says SOFA should not violate Iraq's sovereignty for even an iota.
Sadr al-Din Qubanchi, a close aide to Ayatollah Sistani, said on Monday that the Grand Ayatollah would announce his stance on the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as soon as Iraqi officials concluded their talks on the security pact, Aswat al-Iraq News Agency reported.
Baghdad and Washington have been negotiating a controversial deal which would provide a legal basis for the presence of US troops inside the country when their UN mandate expires in December 2008.
The agreement, however, sparked outrage among Iraqi political and religious leaders who view it as a pact against Iraq's sovereignty and national interests. Under the agreement, Iraqi courts would not have jurisdiction over US forces and citizens inside their bases and when on duty.
It would also allow the US to set up military bases inside the country.
Ayatollah Sistani reiterated that he would oppose any agreement which violate Iraq's sovereignty for even an iota and he would clearly announce his stance in the near future.
Abdul Karim al-Anzi, a senior Iraqi lawmaker, had earlier told the Italian new agency AKI that transparency, national consensus, Parliament's endorsement and guarantees for safeguarding Iraq's sovereignty were the four preconditions set by the Grand Ayatollah for any security pact with the US.