CZECH REPUBLIC: Visiting Iraqi foreign minister says planned gradual U.S. troop reduction "no surprise."

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the Iraqi government had expected a planned reduction in U.S. troops in Iraq. "The declaration that there would be withdrawal of a number of US troops from Iraq has not come as a major surprise to us," he told journalists in Prague on Monday (September 17) during an official visit to the Czech Republic. President George W. Bush has ordered gradual troop reductions in Iraq through the first half of 2008, under a plan from the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, to withdraw five combat brigades and several Marine units by mid-July. "By next summer, as has been declared, those troops who have helped in the search policy or strategy may not be needed," Zebari added after meeting with his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg, referring to a U.S.-led clampdown on insurgents in Baghdad and some other areas in Iraq. "There could be some further draw-downs (withdrawal of troops) also, but we have been assured by the US administration that the commitment will stay there, will remain. By then we hope that the Iraqi military security forces will be able to improve in numbers and equipments and in missions and will replace those forces who have left the country," Zebari said. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last week he hoped troop levels in Iraq could be reduced from the current 169,000 to about 100,000 by January 2009, when the next U.S. president will take office. Zebari visited the Czech Republic to discuss cooperating on reconstruction in the war-torn Middle Eastern country. Zebari and Schwarzenberg held the joint news conference after an evening meeting during which they signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in reconstruction efforts. "It is the duty of any democratic country to help Iraq in this difficult situation. Now it is the time to cooperate closely on the reconstruction of Iraq. The Czech Republic will also have an important role in this process", Schwarzenberg said at the news conference. The Czech Republic has a small military contingent in Iraq and has also provided the country with experts to train Iraqi police officers. Zebari said, "The signing of this memorandum of understanding between our two nations, our two governments, will provide us with a good framework of cooperation, of future cooperation, of political and diplomatic cooperation between our two nations." "From our point of view we in Iraq still need the continued engagement, in maybe different capacities in different regions, but for us this is a very important service that the Czech have provided us," Zebari continued. Zebari was scheduled to leave for Iraq later on Tuesday.

ITN Source | September 19, 2007

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