Europe News
Czechs plan to pull out most troops from Iraq in 2008
Oct 22, 2007, 17:01 GMT
Prague - The Czech center-right government resolved Monday to cut the number of troops in Iraq from 100 to 20 in the second half of 2008, Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova told reporters.
Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg had recently said the Czech Republic planned to withdraw its soldiers from Iraq, but did not offer any details. The Czech troops have been serving near Basra, guarding a British military base.
However, the cabinet also agreed to raise the number of its troops in NATO's International Security Assistance Force or ISAF mission in Afghanistan from some 220 to up to 415 in 2008.
The government also plans next year to deploy 550 troops in Kosovo in the so called KFOR mission, five in an EU mission in Bosnia and three in an EU mission in Africa.
Cabinet plans for deployments abroad must be approved by parliament.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Europe
- 1. Pope in Easter message calls for peace and religious tolerance
- 2. Magnificent Messi leads Barcelona to ninth straight win
- 3. Pope leads Easter vigil, calls for "true enlightenment"
- 4. Barcelona increase pressure on Real with romp in Zaragoza
- 5. Pope Benedict XVI leads Easter Vigil
Older Talkback
