Iraqi speaker quits over row

IRAQI parliament speaker Mahmud Mashhadani said yesterday that he will resign, ending a political crisis that had thrown into doubt arrangements for a British troop presence into next year.

Immediately following a speech by the fiery politician, parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to allow the presence of non-US foreign troops after December 31, when a UN mandate expires.

“I announce that I’m resigning from my position as parliament speaker in the interests of the people,” Mashhadani said in his speech to MPs, triggering applause.

Mashhadani’s announcement came after a vote last week, that was to provide British and other non-US foreign forces with a legal basis to remain in Iraq after December 31, was suddenly shelved in a row between him and some MPs.

The approval gives British forces, as well as a small number of soldiers from Australia, El Salvador, Estonia and Romania, a legal basis to remain in Iraq.

The United States, which supplies 95% of foreign troops in Iraq, has already signed a Status of Forces Agreement with Baghdad, under which its combat forces can remain in the country until the end of 2011.

During a surprise visit to Iraq last week, British prime minister Gordon Brown announced that his country’s troops would wrap up their mission by the end of May and later said that all but 400 would be out by the end of July.