Iraq At a glance

The latest developments in Iraq:

Iraq’s foreign ministry said Thursday that Iraqi and U.S. officials are seeking a compromise on the pending issues over a new security agreement between the two countries. The statement came a day after Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari met with President Bush to discuss the security agreement meant to replace the U.N. mandate for foreign forces, which expires at the end of the year.

The Western oil giants negotiating service deals to help Iraq boost its crude production are surely hopeful the relationships will lead to greater access to the country’s massive oil fields, industry experts say. It’s unclear, however, whether the leverage the companies gain by providing technical support to Iraq over the next couple of years will lead to a greater role tapping Iraq’s vast reservoirs. Iraq’s oil ministry said Thursday the country is close to signing oil-service deals with several major oil companies — the first major Iraqi contracts with big Western companies since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Weapons caches are turning up with increasing frequency in public places in Iraq — from a bakery to a fish farm — as recent security gains embolden more civilians to come forward with tips, U.S. and Iraqi military officials say. The odd locations of many of the discoveries reflect the fine line separating civilians from the Shiite and Sunni extremists who don’t wear uniforms and often live among them. Many would-be tipsters had previously looked the other way because of intimidation or because they sought protection from local militias.

Iraqi troops on Thursday arrested the top official in Amarah, a Muqtada al-Sadr loyalist, officials said, drawing swift condemnations from followers of the anti-U.S. cleric and raising tensions as a military operation against Shiite militias got under way. Rafia Abdul-Jabbar, who also was acting deputy governor for Maysan province, was seized from his office Thursday morning along with a member of the provincial council, a local official said.

Source: Associated Press