Iraq says progress made on consolidating weapons under state control

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has made substantial progress in bringing weapons under state control, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Armed Forces General Staff, Sabah al-Numan, said Monday. Speaking in an interview in Washington, al-Numan said the United States is Iraq's principal partner in the fight against terrorism and that security and military cooperation between the two countries would strengthen in the coming period. Al-Numan said there is momentum toward establishing a bilateral partnership to complete the security files between Baghdad and Washington. He noted that the mission of the International Coalition forces will end on September 30, but that the relationship should continue after their withdrawal through new security and military cooperation frameworks. He added that agreements on the arming, training and institutional capacity-building of Iraqi security forces would be signed during the visit. Al-Numan stressed that the government's work to bring weapons under state control is aimed at reinforcing the authority of the law and strengthening stability.