( CNN ) -- A German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as saying that he backed a proposal by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months . Nuri al-Maliki told Der Spiegel that he favors a `` limited '' tenure for coalition troops in Iraq . `` U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months , '' he said in an interview with Der Spiegel that was released Saturday . `` That , we think , would be the right time frame for a withdrawal , with the possibility of slight changes , '' he said . But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks `` were misunderstood , mistranslated and not conveyed accurately . '' Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements , echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush . In the magazine interview , Al-Maliki said his remarks did not indicate that he was endorsing Obama over presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain . `` Who they choose as their president is the Americans ' business . But it 's the business of Iraqis to say what they want . And that 's where the people and the government are in general agreement : The tenure of the coalition troops in Iraq should be limited , '' he said . `` Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic , '' al-Maliki said . The interview 's publication came one day after the White House said President Bush and al-Maliki had agreed to include a `` general time horizon '' in talks about reducing American combat forces and transferring Iraqi security control across the country . iReport.com : What should the next president know about Iraq ? The Bush administration has steadfastly refused to consider a `` timetable '' for withdrawing troops from Iraq . In a statement issued Friday after a conversation between Bush and al-Maliki by closed-circuit television , the White House said that conditions in Iraq would dictate the pace of the negotiations and not `` an arbitrary date for withdrawal . '' The two men `` agreed that the goals would be based on continued improving conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary date for withdrawal , '' the White House said . In an interview to air Sunday on `` Late Edition , '' Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told CNN 's Wolf Blitzer that `` those goals are being achieved now , as we speak . And so , it 's not at all unusual to start to think that there is a horizon out there , in the not too distant future , in which the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. forces are going to change dramatically and those of the Iraqi forces are going to become dominant . '' White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said al-Maliki had made it clear that such decisions will be based on continuing positive developments . `` It is our shared view that should the recent security gains continue , we will be able to meet our joint aspirational time horizons , '' he said . The prime minister 's remarks emerged as Obama visited Kuwait and Afghanistan before embarking on a tour of the Middle East and Europe to boost his foreign policy credentials . He also plans to visit Iraq . The Democratic candidate says he supports a phased withdrawal of troops , promising to remove all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months of taking office if he becomes president . McCain does not think American troops should return to the United States until Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining a safe , democratic state . He has been a strong advocate of the 2007 `` surge '' to escalate U.S. troop levels and says troops should stay in Iraq as long as needed . McCain says Obama is wrong for opposing the increased troop presence , and Obama says McCain 's judgment is flawed . CNN 's Julia Weber and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report .
NEW : Der Spiegel says Nuri al-Maliki backs plan to withdraw troops within 16 months . The Iraqi leader has said he will not negotiate with the Kurds until they have a say in how their region is governed. Al-Maliki 's spokesman says his remarks were `` misunderstood '' Comments follow White House announcement of `` time horizon '' for withdrawal .