US President George W. Bush said here on Friday that "there's not going to be any timetable" for a withdrawal of American forces in Iraq.

"It doesn't make any sense to have a timetable," "If you give a timetable, you're conceding too much to the enemy," Bush said to reporters after talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari at the White House.

Bush said that drafting a permanent constitution for a free Iraq, submitting it to the Iraqi people for approval, and then holding new elections to choose a constitutional government are monumental tasks.

"Yet at every step of the way so far the Iraqi people have met their strategic objectives and the terrorists have failed to stop them, " Bush said with Jaafari at his side.

"The way ahead is not going to be easy" because of a deadly insurgency, Bush said.

Jaafari took the Iraqi premiership after Iraqi lawmakers approved a list of 36-member new cabinet in late April.

On next Tuesday, the United States and Iraq will mark the one- year anniversary since the transfer of sovereignty in Iraq after the downfall of the Saddam regime.

Jaafari, who arrived here Wednesday, met at the White House with US Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Steve Hadley on Thursday, the White House said.

The Iraqi government has pledged that a constitution will be drafted by Aug. 15, 2005, and approved through a national referendum by Oct. 15, leading to the establishment of a constitutionally elected government by Dec. 31 this year.

Insurgents have stepped up attacks since a Shiite-led government was formed in late April. About 1,000 Iraqis and more than 120 US soldiers were killed in the past two months.

More than 1,700 US soldiers have died so far in the Iraq war and thousands more have been injured.

Source: Xinhua