A day after US troops pulled back from Iraqi urban areas, Qubad Talabani, representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government to the United States, said unspecified administration members appeared to have lost interest in Iraq.

"I see a tug of war between people that want nothing to do with Iraq and others that believe it is in the US's vital interest to ensure a stable and thriving Iraq," said Talabani, the son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Talabani said following "the euphoria" over the pullback from Iraqi cities and towns, the United States has to "undertake a sustained political, economic and security engagement" to guarantee stability and democracy in Iraq.

He said such involvement is generally covered by the November Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which sets out a timetable for a complete US troop withdrawal from Iraq by 2011.

The pullback from Iraqi cities also took place under the SOFA.

He added he was "hopeful" the administration would ultimately stay the course.