Ukrainian delegation to visit Iraq for troop pull-out talks

A Ukrainian delegation consisting of officials from the defense and foreign ministries will visit Iraq in late March for discussions on the withdrawal of Ukraine's troops from Iraq, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

Petro Poroshenko, secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, said that the delegation will meet with officials of the Iraqi interim government and the US-led coalition forces in Iraq.

He said that the talks will decide a final date for the withdrawal of Ukraine's remaining troops in Iraq.

Ukraine may pull out its forces in October, but may also put back the action to December when Iraq is set to hold legislative elections.

Last week, the first group of 137 soldiers returned home.

Ukraine plans to cut its military presence in Iraq, now at 1,300, to some 850 in May.

Eighteen Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Ukraine joined the US-led coalition in August 2003.

Source: Xinhua