Iraqi PM says security talks with US at impasse

Iraq's prime minister said Friday that talks with the U.S. on a long-term security pact are at an impasse over objections that Iraq's sovereignty is at stake, but he held out hope that negotiators could still reach a compromise.

In his strongest comments yet on the debate, Nouri al-Maliki echoed concern by Iraqi lawmakers that the opening U.S. proposals would give Washington too much political and military leverage on Iraqi affairs. He left open room, however, that a deal could be hammered out.

"The first drafts presented left us at a dead end and deadlock," he told reporters in Amman, Jordan. "So, we left these first drafts and the negotiations …