The Latvian parliament approved Thursday to extend the peacekeeping mission in Iraq for an extra year to Dec. 31, 2007.

Defense Minister Atis Slakteris said that would be the last extension of the Iraq mission.

A defense ministry report said that given the fact the security situation on the ground still depends on foreign forces, Latvia will keep its 125 troops staying in Iraq for one more year to complete the mission in cooperation with contingents from other countries.

The deployment started in Aug. 2003 and was extended in November 2005.

Source: Xinhua