Bulgaria to withdraw troops from Iraq after 2007: minister

Bulgaria would withdraw its troops from Iraq after 2007 if no related international resolutions were issued to extend its mission, Defense Minister Veselin Bliznakov said on Saturday.

According to the state-run news agency BTA, the defense minister said no matter how security situation in Iraq would be, Bulgaria would end its mission in the country after 2007 if the United Nations Security Council didn't renew its mandate.

The UN Security Council decided in November 2006 to extend the mandate of the international forces in Iraq to Dec. 31, 2007.

Bulgaria has currently 155 military personnel deployed in Iraq, responsible mainly for security maintenance.

Bliznakov's remarks were at variance with the Bulgarian parliament's decision in February to extend the country's military mission in Iraq to the end of March 2008.

Since April 2004, over ten countries have completed withdrawing forces from Iraq. There are now some 160,000 forces deployed in Iraq, from some 20 countries. The United States constitutes the bulk of the international forces with over 140,000 troops.

Source: Xinhua