"We have been reassured that the policy of President Obama will be one of continuity," Hoshyar Zebari told reporters in Ankara after talks with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan.

"We have been reassured that... he will not take any drastic decision... that any decision will be taken through consultations with the military commanders in the field and the Iraqi government."

Zebari, who was beginning a three-day visit to Turkey, stressed that Iraq was to hold three elections in 2009 -- two local and one general -- cautioning that the stakes were "too high" for both Iraq and the United States.

"2009 will be a very critical year for Iraq's future, stabilisation and political system.

"I personally don't believe there will be any dramatic (US) disengagement from Iraq because the stakes are too high for the United States, for Iraq, for the region, for everybody," he said.

During his election campaign, Obama promised to bring all US troops home from Iraq within 16 months of taking office, but also said he would listen to his generals, and has since narrowed the reduction pledge to combat units.

On Thursday, two days after Obama took office, US defense chiefs shied away from endorsing the 16-month deadline for withdrawing combat forces, saying they would present Obama a full range of options.

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