Norway rejects US call to keep troops in Iraq

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen said on Friday his country has rejected US call to stay on in Iraq after a planned pullout in June, Norwegian news agency reported.

Norwegian troops will be pulled out before the June 30 sovereignty transfer and would not continue to stay in Iraq thereafter, said the minister after holding talks in Washington with US Secretary of State Colin Powell who expressed hopes that Norway might reconsider its plan to pull out in June.

"We must follow our original plan, or a commitment, until the summer," Petersen said, adding Norway would strengthen the troops in Afghanistan after withdrawing from Iraq.

"We must contribute so that NATO does not fail in Afghanistan,"Petersen said.

Norway, a NATO member, did not support the US-led war in Iraq, but sent 150 troops to help stabilize the south of Iraq after theoverthrow of the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Source: Xinhua