国际英语新闻：U.S. returns over 100 bases to Iraqis ahead of troops pullout

BAGHDAD, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military said on Saturday that over 100 military bases have been handed over to Iraqi security forces ahead of the June 30 deadline for U.S. combat troops to pull out from Iraqi cities and town as part of a landmark security pact.

    A U.S. military statement said a joint U.S. and Iraqi committee, tasked with monitoring the implementation of U.S.-Iraq security agreement, highlighted progress achieved in Iraq during its third meeting, including "the return of over 100 bases and the safe and orderly release of over 3,000 detainees" since the implementation of the pact.

A U.S. and Iraqi soldier look at a bird during a joint military operation in the town of Jalawla, in Diyala province, 115 km (70 miles) northeast of Baghdad May 17, 2009.

The committee meeting on Thursday was presided by Iraqi Minister of Interior Jawad al-Bulani, U.S. ambassador Christopher Hill, and top U.S. troops commander, General Ray Odierno, the statement said.

    Meanwhile, Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman, Major General Mohammed al-Askari said on Saturday that Iraq had set up a joint command center with the U.S. military to coordinate operations after the June 30 deadline.

    "Minister of Defense, Abdul Qader al-Obiedi opened today the Joint Military Operations Coordination Committee to coordinate U.S. and Iraq's military operations after June 30," Askari said, pointing out that the committee would be responsible for giving authorization to U.S. troops to intervene even after the pullout of U.S. forces from urban areas.

    "The principle of the center is to organize the work and to speed up U.S. troops' intervention without violating the law," he said.

    Iraqi parliament overwhelmingly voted for the key security agreement which keeps the presence of U.S. military in Iraq for another three years in November.

    According to the security pact, the Iraqi government can request temporary assistance from the U.S. forces to support its efforts in keeping peace and stability in Iraq.

    Under the agreement, U.S. troops will withdraw from Iraqi cities, towns and villages by June 30, 2009, and to completely pullout from Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011.