FACTBOX: Iraq's thorny negotiations with U.S

(Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Friday talks with the United States on a new security deal were deadlocked because of U.S. demands that infringed Iraq's sovereignty.

WHAT IS BEING NEGOTIATED?

The United States is negotiating two agreements with Iraq.

One, a "status of forces" agreement, would provide a legal basis for U.S. troops to stay in Iraq after December 31, when their United Nations mandate expires.

The second, known as a strategic framework agreement, is a broad, long-term agreement on the political, diplomatic, economic and cultural relationship between the two countries.

WHY ARE THE AGREEMENTS NEEDED?

The U.N. mandate authorizing the presence of U.S.-led forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion expires at the end of December. The United States set a goal of completing the negotiations by the end of July 2008.

WHO IS CRITICISING THE TALKS?

U.S. and Iraqi officials began talks on the agreement in March but the negotiations quickly came under fire from various sides, ranging from anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in Iraq and Iran to U.S. Congressmen.

U.S. Democrats say U.S. President George W. Bush's administration could use the agreements to tie the next president into current Iraq war policies. They have also said the Bush administration has not consulted on the agreements.

How long U.S. troops remain in Iraq is a key issue in the campaign for the November presidential election.

Many Iraqis see the agreement as a surrender of Iraq's sovereignty to an occupying force and fear it could pave the way for a permanent U.S. troop presence in the country.

Sadr has called for protests against the negotiations and said protests will continue until the government agrees to a referendum on the U.S. presence.

Iran opposes any deal between Baghdad and Washington extending the presence of U.S. troops in its neighbor.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILED POINTS OF CONTENTION?

The United States and Iraq have revealed few details of the closed-door talks and there have been conflicting reports of what the United States is seeking.