Maliki presides over U.S.-Iraqi committee

BAGHDAD, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice presided over the inaugural Iraqi-U.S. Higher Coordination Committee Tuesday.

The committee will oversee the execution of a bilateral Strategic Framework Agreement that took force Jan. 1. The SFA was part of a package of deals that included a Status of Forces Agreement replacing the U.N. mandate for multinational forces in Iraq.

The SFA guides bilateral relations. Rice and Maliki reiterated their desire to move forward on developing economic as well as cultural ties, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

Both parties said they would develop a joint committee to work toward establishing initiatives of cooperation on a variety of fronts.

The State Department said the SFA would "bring tangible benefits" to the people of both countries through a series of measures and exchanges.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and Commander of Multi-National Force-Iraq Gen. Ray Odierno attended the ceremony, along with several high-ranking Iraqi officials.