Simultaneous activity in Washington and Baghdad signalled that an accord was near on a security arrangement, formally called a status of forces agreement, to govern the conduct of American forces in Iraq for the remainder of their time there.

Aides to leading members of Congress were being briefed at the White House, while Mr. Maliki was briefing his council on national security in Baghdad. Moreover, a news briefing has been scheduled for Saturday in Baghdad, a sign that the executive branches of the United States and Iraq have ironed out their differences on an eventual American withdrawal.

“So we are getting closer to having this agreement worked out,” President Bush’s spokeswoman, Dana Perino, said at a Friday news briefing. “So we anticipate being able to hopefully have something soon. But I will stress to you, it’s not finalized yet.”

Ms. Perino was cautious, given the arduous negotiations in Washington and Baghdad. The White House has had to overcome the reservations of Congress, notably the concerns of some lawmakers that the accord be a security arrangement, and not a more binding mutual security treaty, which could touch off a war.

Another thorny issue was protection for American service members from Iraqi law. Language in the emerging accord is known to include provisions that the American military would be subject to the United States’ Uniform Code of Military Justice, at least while they are on duty.

Higher political obstacles exist in Iraq, where the agreement must be reviewed by the Council of Ministers (Mr. Maliki’s cabinet) after it is studied by the president’s security council. Then it must be approved by the often fractious Iraqi Parliament, some of whose members dislike, or are at least ambivalent about, the terms of the arrangement.

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