The Bush administration is embroiled in a fight with leading Democrats over its plans to negotiate a new agreement with Iraq, with the White House insisting it is not seeking to commit the next president to maintaining a presence in the country, in spite of Democratic claims to the contrary.

But a senior administration official said he thought it “highly unlikely” that the next president would abandon the deal. Negotiations are scheduled to begin this month, with implementation planned for the turn of the year – just as the new administration prepares to take office.