Italy will switch to civilian role in Iraq: minister

MILPLEX

An Italian soldier stand near his dog as Romanian soldiers (background) scan the area during a combined British, Italian and Romanian patrol in the city of Nasiriyah, southeast of Baghdad 12 May 2006. British, Romanian and Italian soldiers conducted a joint patrol in several villages in Nasiriyah, a British military officer said. Photo courtesy of Nawfal Hashem and AFP.

by Staff Writers
Rome (AFP) May 20, 2006
Italy is set to review the role of its troops in Iraq and plans to switch to a civilian rather than military presence in the country, its new foreign minister, Massimo D'Alema, said Saturday.

"From next week the government will launch a plan to redefine the nature of the Italian presence in Iraq, which will become a civilian presence," Italy's ANSA news agency quoted D'Alema as saying in the southern city of Naples.

"We intend to keep our commitment to the voters: withdraw Italian armed forces under a withdrawal programme that will be reasonable and in agreement with the Iraqi government and our allies," the left-wing foreign minister said.

The withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq was a central election pledge in the campaign of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition ahead of its narrow election victory in April against the right-wing bloc of Silvio Berlusconi.

D'Alema, who took office Wednesday, did not specify what Italy's civilian role in Iraq would involve.

Italy currently has 2,600 soldiers stationed in Iraq, alongside allied US and British troops stationed there following the 2003 US-led invasion.

The government of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had insisted the Italian troops, stationed in southern Iraq since 2003, were engaged in a humanitarian operation, not a military one.

But his claims did not convince the opposition and a large portion of the public.

Prodi earlier this week told lawmakers in the Senate that the war in Iraq was a "grave mistake" and said he would propose to parliament to bring home Italian soldiers stationed there.

Thirty members of the Italian military contingent in Iraq have been killed since their 2003 deployment.

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MILPLEX

Japan making arrangements on Iraq troops pullout: report

Tokyo (AFP) May 20, 2006
Japan began making arrangements Saturday with the United States, Britain and Australia on a possible withdrawl of its troops from Iraq beginning in June, a press report said.

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