Posted on 02/24/2005 9:07:12 AM PST by areafiftyone
KIEV, February 24 (Itar-Tass) - Ukraine will publish the schedule of its peacekeeping troops pullout from Iraq after a meeting of the National Security Council due next week, Defence Minister Anatoly Gritsenko said on Thursday, Prime-Tass reported.
According to Gritsenko, the National Security Council will consider variants of state-by-stage withdrawal of the Ukrainian contingent from Iraq.
The meeting will give special attention to security issues and take into account military planning of the Coalition forces during the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military.
“We cannot let the allies in the Coalition down,” Gritsenko stressed.
The Ukrainian Defence chief promised that Ukrainian troops will leave Iraq next year.
Some 1,600 Ukrainian military have been staying in Iraq since August 2003. They are stationed in the zone of the Polish command in the Vasit province 120-140 kilometres away from Baghdad. A total of 17 Ukrainian military have been killed in Iraq.
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