Maliki in 2006: Iraqis could assume security by June 2007

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday that his country's forces would be able to assume security command by June 2007 -- which could allow the United States to start withdrawing its troops.

"I cannot answer on behalf of the U.S. administration but I can tell you that from our side our forces will be ready by June 2007," Maliki told ABC television after meeting U.S. President George W. Bush in Jordan.

Maliki was replying to a question about whether U.S. troops could start withdrawing at that time. ABC released a transcript of the interview ahead of its broadcast later in the day.

"At the beginning of next year we will increase the training of our forces ... When they reach an acceptable level, we can talk about transferring power from multinational forces to Iraqi forces," Maliki said.

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