Romanian Defense Minister Teodor Atanasiu said on Thursday he would propose withdrawing the country's troops from Iraq between November and December, but he ruled out the possibility for Romania to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.

The military withdrawal is part of Romania's efforts to re-position its overseas forces, Atanasiu said, adding that Romania would not change its foreign policy and would not quit the global anti-terror war.

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu also said on Thursday that Romania will withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Defense Minister Atanasiu would seek approval from the Supreme Council of National Defense to issue a pullout order, he told a press conference.

But President Traian Basescu said on Thursday that other state institutions and foreign partners should have been consulted.

"The president considers as unacceptable the way the prime minister and the defense prime minister presented their opinions about the Romanian military presence in Iraq," Basescu said in a statement.

"Any decision about the national security issues should be made after preliminary consultations among the Romanian state institutions and with our foreign partners," he said.

The United States said Thursday it was surprised by reports that Romania planned to withdraw its troops from Iraq, and said it would seek clarification from Bucharest.

Romania has around 890 troops in Iraq.

Source: Xinhua