Italy's new government consider pullout from Iraq

Italy's Premier Romano Prodi on Friday discussed his country's pullout from Iraq with his Defense Minister Arturo Parisi and the Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema.

The officials were "evaluating various options for the withdrawal," said the Foreign Ministry spokesman Pasquale Terracciano. A decision may "come rapidly," he added.

According to Prodi's spokesman Silvio Sircana, they were discussing "technical matters" and the meeting would not necessarily yield a decision.

The talks came after D'Alema announced on Saturday that the new government would begin working out a plan within days to pull back troops from Iraq.

D'Alema, who is also deputy prime minister, said that Prodi's

government was planning to convert Italy's military presence in Iraq to a totally civilian one in nature.

However, he emphasized that the withdrawal was not a retreat, but a political choice.

Last week, Prodi said that the U.S.-led war in Iraq was a "grave error," and vowed to bring home as soon as possible the 2,600 Italian troops serving in Iraq.

The previous government headed by Silvio Berlusconi, a strong U.S. ally, had already pledged to pull out Italy's troops by the end of 2006, a deadline which Prodi said during the elections that he would respect.

Source: Xinhua