Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Romania to start withdrawing troops
Security
(Reuters) Romania is likely to cut its troops in Iraq this year by around 100, from some 600 now, in line with British withdrawal plans, President Traian Basescu said on Wednesday. "We will be probably reducing our presence there by 100 soldiers in accordance with our British allies," Basescu told an annual gathering of senior politicians and army officers.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said last month that Britain would withdraw 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months although some soldiers would stay into 2008 as long as they were wanted. "We have a company in Basra which seems this year to have approached an end of its mission there," Basescu said. Romania, a staunch Washington ally and a NATO member since 2004, withdrew some 130 soldiers from Iraq last year.
The ruling centrist coalition is split over the presence in Iraq, with Basescu saying the force should remain until Bucharest's allies and Baghdad ask for a withdrawal. However, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu's Liberal party has said Romania should bring its forces home. The governing coalition party says it collected one million signatures from Romanians who back its proposal. Polls show about 60 percent of the public want withdrawal.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said last month that Britain would withdraw 1,600 troops from Iraq over the coming months although some soldiers would stay into 2008 as long as they were wanted. "We have a company in Basra which seems this year to have approached an end of its mission there," Basescu said. Romania, a staunch Washington ally and a NATO member since 2004, withdrew some 130 soldiers from Iraq last year.
The ruling centrist coalition is split over the presence in Iraq, with Basescu saying the force should remain until Bucharest's allies and Baghdad ask for a withdrawal. However, Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu's Liberal party has said Romania should bring its forces home. The governing coalition party says it collected one million signatures from Romanians who back its proposal. Polls show about 60 percent of the public want withdrawal.
Labels: Basra, President Traian Basescu, Romania, troop withdrawal
