"These talks are ongoing. They're not dead," Zebari said of negotiations to decide the future of the US military presence in Iraq after the current UN mandate expires in December.

"Definitely, there hasn't been an impasse," he told CNN.

Zebari said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's statement Friday in Amman that Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) talks were at an impasse had been "corrected and clarified."

Maliki had said the talks were deadlocked because of concern the deal infringes Iraqi sovereignty.

Zebari stressed that, as a member of the negotiating team, "I know what's going on. We made a great deal of progress on finalizing the strategic framework agreement."

Asked whether a key stumbling block in the negotiations was who would authorize the movement of US troops inside Iraq -- Baghdad or Washington -- Zebari was cautious.

"Here we have some difficult issues we need to resolve, issues of sovereignty, of immunities, of the authorization to launch military operations ... But in all these areas, there has been flexibility from the US negotiating team. And they have offered some alternative proposal. That's why these talks are ongoing and it's promising.

"I'm confident that we will be able to secure the strategic framework agreement by the end of July."

Asked to repeat his comment, Zebari insisted: "By the end of July."

Zebari said that in the SOFA agreement Iraq had "made it absolutely clear that Iraq will not be used for any offensive actions or for any attacks against any of Iraq's neighbors," including Iran.

Pressed on whether the United States would be barred from sending planes from Iraqi bases to attack camps inside Iran if they were used to train anti-US forces, Zebari said Washington had "other alternatives" in the region.

"The US military ability beyond Iraq," he said.

While admitting "our relations are difficult, not easy" with Iran, Zebari said Iraq had always sought "healthy relations" with its neighbor.

On the upcoming US presidential election and its candidates, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, Zebari politely refused to say who he liked better, but said he was sure that as the campaign evolved, "Iraq will come back to haunt both candidates."

The foreign minister had one message for both contenders: "that, really, Iraq has gone a long way.

"I mean, Iraq has been to hell many times and back. And now we have the right policies, the right personnel, and we have a committed government to accomplish its national agenda.

"And the surge strategy has worked. I have just reported to the Security Council, a couple of days ago, that Iraq is witnessing the lowest level of violence and terrorist attacks."

Zebari met with McCain early Sunday and was scheduled to speak with Obama by telephone on Monday, according to CNN.

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