CAIRO, September 30. /TASS/. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zeidi officially announced the conclusion of the mission of the US-led international coalition in the country.

"The mission of the international coalition in Iraq has ended in victory, and now we must preserve its legacy. A new stage is beginning, the stage of a sovereign Iraq," he said at a ceremony marking the country’s Sovereignty Day.

Al-Zeidi, whose remarks were quoted by INA, also stressed that the withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq "does not mean the end of the fight against terrorism," but "marks a transition to a stage in which Baghdad itself will be responsible for the country’s security and stability." At the same time, the Iraqi prime minister said, cooperation with coalition members would continue, including in the field of technology exchange to ensure security within the republic.