[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 48 (Monday, December 3, 2007)]
[Pages 1532-1533]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Declaration by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Nuri 
al-Maliki of Iraq: Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term 
Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship Between the Republic of Iraq 
and the United States of America

November 26, 2007

    As Iraqi leaders confirmed in their Communique signed on August 26, 
2007, and endorsed by President Bush, the Governments of Iraq and the 
United States are committed to developing a long-term relationship of 
cooperation and friendship as two fully sovereign and independent states 
with common interests. This relationship will serve the interest of 
coming generations based on the heroic sacrifices made by the Iraqi 
people and the American people for the sake of a free, democratic, 
pluralistic, federal, and unified Iraq.
    The relationship of cooperation envisioned by the Republic of Iraq 
and the United States includes a range of issues, foremost of which is 
cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, and security fields, 
taking account of the following principles:
    First: The Political, Diplomatic, and Cultural Spheres 
    1. Supporting the Republic of Iraq in defending its democratic 
system against internal and external threats.
    2. Respecting and upholding the Constitution as the expression of 
the will of the Iraqi people and standing against any attempt to impede, 
suspend, or violate it.
    3. Supporting the efforts of the Republic of Iraq to achieve 
national reconciliation including as envisioned in the Communique of 
August 26.
    4. Supporting the Republic of Iraq's efforts to enhance its position 
in regional and international organizations and institutions so that it 
may play a positive and constructive role in the region and the world.
    5. Cooperating jointly with the states of the region on the basis of 
mutual respect, non-intervention in internal affairs, rejection of the 
use of violence in resolving disputes, and adoption of constructive 
dialogue in resolving outstanding problems among the various states of 
the region.
    6. Promoting political efforts to establish positive relationships 
between the states of the region and the world, which serve the common 
goals of all relevant parties in a manner that enhances the security and 
stability of the region, and the prosperity of its peoples.
    7. Encouraging cultural, educational, and scientific exchanges 
between the two countries.
     Second: The Economic Sphere 
    1. Supporting Iraq's development in various economic fields, 
including its productive capabilities, and aiding its transition to a 
market economy.
    2. Encouraging all parties to abide by their commitments as 
stipulated in the International Compact with Iraq.
    3. Supporting the building of Iraq's economic institutions and 
infrastructure with the provision of financial and technical assistance 
to train and develop competencies and capacities of vital Iraqi 
institutions.
    4. Supporting Iraq's further integration into regional and 
international financial and economic organizations.
    5. Facilitating and encouraging the flow of foreign investments to 
Iraq, especially American investments, to contribute to the 
reconstruction and rebuilding of Iraq.
    6. Assisting Iraq in recovering illegally exported funds and 
properties, especially those smuggled by the family of Saddam Hussein 
and his regime's associates, as well as antiquities and items of 
cultural heritage, smuggled before and after April 9, 2003.
    7. Helping the Republic of Iraq to obtain forgiveness of its debts 
and compensation for the wars waged by the former regime.
    8. Supporting the Republic of Iraq to obtain positive and 
preferential trading conditions for Iraq within the global marketplace 
including accession to the World Trade Organization and most favored 
nation status with the United States.
     Third: The Security Sphere 

[[Page 1533]]

    1. Providing security assurances and commitments to the Republic of 
Iraq to deter foreign aggression against Iraq that violates its 
sovereignty and integrity of its territories, waters, or airspace.
    2. Supporting the Republic of Iraq in its efforts to combat all 
terrorist groups, at the forefront of which is Al-Qaeda, Saddamists, and 
all other outlaw groups regardless of affiliation, and destroy their 
logistical networks and their sources of finance, and defeat and uproot 
them from Iraq. This support will be provided consistent with mechanisms 
and arrangements to be established in the bilateral cooperation 
agreements mentioned herein.
    3. Supporting the Republic of Iraq in training, equipping, and 
arming the Iraqi Security Forces to enable them to protect Iraq and all 
its peoples, and completing the building of its administrative systems, 
in accordance with the request of the Iraqi government.
    The Iraqi Government in confirmation of its resolute rights under 
existing Security Council resolutions will request to extend the mandate 
of the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) under Chapter VII of the United 
Nations Charter for a final time. As a condition for this request, 
following the expiration of the above mentioned extension, Iraq's status 
under Chapter VII and its designation as a threat to international peace 
and security will end, and Iraq will return to the legal and 
international standing it enjoyed prior to the issuance of U.N. Security 
Council Resolution No. 661 (August, 1990), thus enhancing the 
recognition and confirming the full sovereignty of Iraq over its 
territories, waters, and airspace, and its control over its forces and 
the administration of its affairs.
    Taking into account the principles discussed above, bilateral 
negotiations between the Republic of Iraq and the United States shall 
begin as soon as possible, with the aim to achieve, before July 31, 
2008, agreements between the two governments with respect to the 
political, cultural, economic, and security spheres.

President of the                         Prime Minister of the
 United States of America                Republic of Iraq
  George W. Bush                         Nouri Kamel Al-Maliki
 

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.