The United States and Iraq started on Tuesday talks about bilateral strategic relations and the future of the US troops presence in the country, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said.

Delegations representing the two sides have met at the building of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad to discuss " agreement and arrangements on long term of cooperation and friendship between the two countries, the military said in a statement post on its website.

The discussions included an agreement on "temporary presence of US forces, on the basis of mutual interests and respect for the sovereignty of both countries," the statement said.

On November? 26, US President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki agreed on a declaration of principles that would lead to formal talks in 2008 to decide the future presence of US troops in Iraq and long-term bilateral economic, political and security relations.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2008)