Berlusconi Delays Iraq Talk Until Election
Tue Dec 21, 4:36 PM ET
Middle East - AP
ROME - Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday that Italy would discuss a phased withdrawal of its troops with the Iraqi government that will be formed after the January elections, but he added that no dates have been set, Italian media reported.
Berlusconi insisted that "Italian troops will stay in Iraq (news - web sites) for as long as needed" — reaffirming a long-standing government position.
The Italian troops' withdrawal from Iraq "in stages can certainly be imagined and maybe can even be pinned down precisely with dates as soon as the new (Iraqi) government is in place," Berlusconi said in Sicily, according to the Apcom news agency and other reports.
"There are no dates because we'll set them with the upcoming Iraqi government," Berlusconi was quoted as saying. He pointed out that the new Iraqi government will have to engage in the formation of police forces and soldiers.
Italy sent about 3,000 troops — the U.S.-led coalition's third-largest contingent — to help rebuild the country after the April 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites).
Berlusconi also reportedly said that he discussed the issue with British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), whose country contributed the second-largest contingent.
"Speaking with Blair, we had even thought of persuading the upcoming Iraqi government to well-outlined commitments as far the formation of the security forces go," Berlusconi said, according to Apcom, "so that as Iraq reaches a certain number of security forces and soldiers, it can free up a certain number of coalition soldiers."
Also on Tuesday, the Polish-led security force in central Iraq transferred responsibility for the province of Karbala to the United States, a spokesman said.
A Polish flag at Camp Lima, a coalition base near the city, was lowered and replaced with the U.S. flag in a ceremony marking the transfer of command, said Lt. Col. Artur Domanski, a spokesman for the Polish-led multinational force. The Poles also presented the U.S. commanders with a symbolic key to the camp, Domanski said.
Poland commands an international force that numbers about 6,000 troops in central Iraq.
The transfer of authority comes as part of a long-standing plan that also involved the Nov. 30 handover of Qadisiyah province from U.S. to Polish command.
During more than a year in Karbala, the Polish-led force trained Iraqi police and National Guard members and ran projects to help the civilian population, such as improving the water supply.
The Polish-led force, which includes 2,400 Poles, now has responsibility for three Iraqi provinces — Babil, Wasit and Qadisiyah. |
