Iraq approves deal on British navy trainers

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s presidency council approved a deal on Wednesday allowing up to 100 British navy trainers to return to the country.
British forces had withdrawn from southern Iraq to Kuwait after Iraq’s parliament failed to pass the deal. After months of delay, lawmakers finally inked the agreement in October, but it needed the council’s approval before becoming law.
“The presidency council has approved in its session the law ratifying the agreement of training and navy support for Iraqi forces,” the council said in a statement on its website.
Britain sent troops to the Gulf for the 2003 U.S.-led invasion but ended their mission earlier this year. The agreement, however, allows British trainers to stay for one year to help Iraq protect its southern oil terminals. Iraq exports most of its oil through the south.
(Writing by Jack Kimball, editing by Mark Trevelyan)