Al-Kadhimi: The strategic Iraq-US dialogue starts today.. And promises to pay the deducted pensions

Shafaq News/ The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, revealed that the strategic dialogue between Iraq and the United States of America begins today.
Al-Kadhimi said, in a press conference held today and attended by a reporter of Shafaq News agency, that, "the dialogue will start today, Thursday, between Iraq and America," noting that, "he will rely on the opinion of the Marjaiya and the parliament, taking into consideration Iraq's needs".
Al-Kadhimi added, "We will focus on Iraqi sovereignty in the dialogue that is currently taking place with the United States," stressing that, "We want Iraq to be a land of peace; not an arena of conflict between external forces".
Al-Kadhimi considered yesterday, Wednesday, that Iraq's sovereignty and interests are his priorities of the strategic dialogue scheduled between Iraq and US.
It is expected that the "strategic dialogue" will deal with the fate of the strategic framework agreement signed between the two countries in 2008, which paved the way for the exit of American forces from Iraq at the end of 2011 after eight years of occupation, as well as the nature of relations between the two countries at various levels.
Washington and Baghdad will also search for an agreement on the fate of US forces in Iraq, as Iran pushes its allies in Iraq to drive US forces outside the country.
On January 5, the Iraqi parliament voted on a resolution demanding Baghdad's government to push towards the exit of foreign forces from the country.
Alongside the Washington-led coalition, American forces have withdrawn from six military bases in Iraq, since Suleimani and Al-Muhandis were killed. The international coalition entitled this deed under plans of relocation and withdrawal from low count bases.

In the same conference, Al-Kadhimi said that deducting the salaries of 23% of the retirees is a part of funding plan due to lack of liquidity; as he promised that these pensions will be paid within few days or with the next month's payment.
"We handed over 73% of the retirees their salaries, without compromising",
Al-Kadhimi indicated that, "the Iraqi economy is a lie and does not exist. It solely depends on oil and have no banking system". He added, "the waste of public money is tremendous, including lack of control over the borders".
The government decided to deduct part of the salaries of employees and retirees to compensate the financial crisis caused by the drop in oil prices due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Yesterday, Wednesday, the Presidency of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, while hosting the ministers of Finance Ali Allawi and planning Khaled Al-Battal, refused deducting the salaries of employees and retirees; as it called on Al-Kadhimi to exempt the deputy of the finance minister Taif Sami, from her duties for disrespecting the Parliament and disregarding the rights of the Iraqi people.