Iraqi Defense Minister Sabit Al-Abbasi said in a statement in connection with the establishment of the Iraq-US committee on the withdrawal of foreign military personnel, obtained by Sputnik on Thursday, that the Iraqi armed forces were fully prepared to take control of security in the country after the withdrawal of the international coalition's troops fighting the Daesh* terrorist group from Iraq.
"Our Iraqi colleagues have told us about this. They have informed us that the US ambassador to Baghdad had said the American side is ready for such action - to fulfill the Iraqi side's demand, which is confirmed by the parliament's decision. I have even repeated the question on purpose to our Iraqi friends if they had received a refusal to fulfill the demands. They have replied that the US had agreed," Lavrentyev said.
The Russian envoy added that the Iraqi side said they have enough forces to maintain order "practically on the entire territory of Iraq" at the expense of security forces and units of the armed forces.
"Therefore, they are ready to assume full responsibility for maintaining order and ensuring security and do not need the presence of a military component," Lavrentyev added.
The envoy said, however, that the question now is how long it will take and what will be the procedure for the withdrawal of the US military contingent from Iraq.
"It can be done in a month or two, as it had been done in Afghanistan, or it can be stretched over years, and it can be done in such a way that the military contingent itself seems to be withdrawn, but a contingent of private military companies is introduced instead. There will seem to be no military contingent, but there will be a military presence," Lavrentyev said.
*A terrorist organization banned in Russia and many other states.