Middle Orient

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Washington and Baghdad have reached a final agreement after months of negotiation on a landmark pact to allow U.S. troops to stay in Iraq until the end of 2011, U.S. and Iraqi officials said on Wednesday.

BALIKESIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Turkey’s powerful generals rejected on Wednesday any blame for the deaths of 17 soldiers in a raid by Kurdish rebels, as rare public criticism of the army mounted following a series of attacks.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The Iraqi government criticized the top U.S. commander in Iraq on Wednesday for accusing Iran of trying to bribe Iraqi politicians.

Israeli troops have shot dead a Palestinian teenager in the West Bank.The military says the youth had been preparing to throw petrol bombs at the cars of Jewish settlers.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Russia has walked out of negotiations being held in Geneva on two breakaway Georgian regions, Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Wednesday.

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) – Police have discovered the decomposing bodies of 22 men dumped in a mass grave in southern Iraq, police and hospital sources said on Wednesday.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syria and Lebanon must cooperate in fighting terrorism, the Syrian foreign minister said in comments on Wednesday, linking the threat faced by both neighbors which have recently been targeted by militants.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction has rejected a request by Hamas rivals to meet separately ahead of multi-factional reconciliation talks next month in Cairo, Fatah officials said Tuesday.

Iraqi leaders are examining a new draft deal under which US troops would remain in the country after the UN mandate expires later this year, officials say.

A signing ceremony has been held in Damascus establishing diplomatic relations for the first time between Syria and Lebanon.