Iraq, U.S. resume dialogue on ending U.S.-led coalition's mission

BAGHDAD, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iraq and the United States resumed Sunday a new round of dialogue to discuss ending the U.S.-led international coalition's mission in Iraq, the Iraqi government said.

Iraqi military spokesman Yahya Rasoul said in a statement that the Higher Military Commission (HMC) resumed meetings with the international coalition side to assess the military situation, the level of threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) group, in addition to the capabilities of the Iraqi forces.

Rasoul said that based on these meetings, a timetable will be set for the gradual reduction of international coalition advisors in Iraq, leading to an end of the coalition mission of fighting IS and the transition to Iraq's bilateral relations with coalition countries.

The meetings with the international coalition will be held periodically to complete the commission work as quickly as possible, as long as nothing disturbs the meetings, Rasoul added.

On Jan. 25, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iraq agreed with the United States to form the HMC to end the international coalition mission in Iraq and move their relationship to comprehensive bilateral relations with the coalition countries at the political, economic, cultural, security, and military levels.