Poland to Leave Iraq by End of 2007

WARSAW, Poland -- Poland's president said Monday that Warsaw will pull its remaining 900 soldiers out of Iraq by the end of 2007, but no specific date has been set.

"There is no decision as to the withdrawal of Polish troops from Iraq, other than it will not be later than the end of 2007," Lech Kaczynski said at a news conference in Warsaw.

Polish leaders have given formal approval for the country's mission in Iraq to continue until the end of this year, but also have said they are considering keeping troops there longer.

A Polish weekly magazine, Newsweek Polska, had reported that Warsaw was considering withdrawing its troops in July 2007, citing what it said was a leaked Defense Ministry document.

Poland is a staunch U.S. ally in Iraq and Afghanistan. Warsaw contributed ground troops to the U.S.-led war in Iraq in 2003 and ever since has led an international force south of Baghdad that now includes 900 Poles.

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