Al-Hayat (London): Iraq Government Agrees with Obama on Withdrawal of Combat Forces After Two Years – Senator Barack Obama concluded his second visit to Baghdad yesterday in an agreement with the Iraqi government on the withdrawal of American combat forces from Iraq by 2010, a date that drew sharp criticism from Obama's Republican antagonist John McCain. After Obama met with Maliki, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Baghdad is not interested in withdrawal plans based on a presidential campaign, but in a real timeframe for withdrawal according to Iraqi wishes. He nevertheless added that the government agreed with Obama's pledge to pull out by 2010.

Az-Zaman (London; Iraq): White House Says Accord Excludes Withdrawal, Rules It Out in July – A White House spokesman has ruled out the possibility of finalizing a strategic accord with Baghdad by the end of July, stressing the deal excludes any mention of a timeframe for withdrawal from Iraq. Meanwhile, Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad yesterday, but they did not discuss his plan for a U.S. troop withdrawal within 16 months if he wins the election.

As-Safir (Lebanon): Assad-Suleiman Summit on Saturday, With Open Agenda – The upcoming summit between Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Syria's Bashar Assad was expected to discuss establishing diplomatic ties, demarcating their borders and reviewing the bilateral agreements. The positive atmosphere of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem's visit to Beirut yesterday prompted sources at the Lebanese presidency to reveal that the first summit of its kind between the two countries will have an open agenda to discuss "everything the Lebanese desire."

Al-Ghad (Jordan): Brown Threatens Iran From Knesset Podium – From the Israeli Knesset (parliament) podium, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday threatened Iran with tightened international sanctions for refusing to stop enriching uranium. Brown promised that along with the United States and its European partners, his country will continue to lead efforts to prevent Iran from pursuing a nuclear military program.

Al-Khaleej (United Arab Emirates): Bashir Refuses to Hand Over a 'Single Sudanese Hair' – Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir yesterday rejected any foreign intervention in his country's internal affairs and renewed his refusal for any political blackmail or pressure, saying he would not hand over a "single hair" of the head of any Sudanese. The Sudanese army and the African Peace and Security Council rejected disparaging the sovereignty and the continent's leaders, and asked the U.N. Security Council to suspend any measures by the International Criminal Court targeting the Sudanese president to avert harming the peace process in the Arab-African country.