Gates assured Democratic lawmakers that the agreement, which is to be negotiated with the Iraqi government, would not tie the hands of a future president.

"The status of forces agreement that is being discussed will not contain a commitment to defend Iraq, and neither will any strategic framework agreement," he said.

Gates said a "declaration of principles" signed by President George Bush and Iraqi President Nuri al-Maliki in November likewise was not "a security commitment to the Iraqis."

"My view is that there ought to be a great deal of openness and transparence with Congress as we negotiate this status of forces agreement so that you can satisfy yourselves that those kinds of commitments are not being made, and that there are no suprises," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

It was the clearest statement yet by a senior administration official on the limits of the status of forces agreement, which typically sets forth the legal basis for the US military's presence in another country.

Gates had previously said that it would not provide for permanent bases in Iraq or establish US force levels.

But other contradictory descriptions of the scope of the agreement by senior White House officials had fueled suspicions among Democrats that the administration was trying to circumvent Congress on what was essentially a treaty matter.

President George W. Bush raised further questions by asserting that his administration would disregard a provision in a 2008 military spending bill that forbids the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq.

"I suspect that language was more to do with constitutional issues, than with the substance of whether or not we want permanent bases in Iraq," Gates said.

"The fact is that in every meeting I've taken part in it has been affirmed from the president on down that we do not want permanent bases in Iraq."

The US military presence in Iraq is currently validated by a UN Security Council resolution which expires December 31. The status of forces agreement would replace it.

Gates said it would be difficult to persuade Iraq to accept even a short extension of the UN resolution to allow a new US administration to negotiate the status of forces agreement.

"They don't want permanent bases either. They are interested in asserting their sovereignty," he said.

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