Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino denied Friday the news reported by an Arab newspaper on the withdrawal of his country's troops from Iraq. The information published by Asharq Al-Awsat paper is not true, he told reporters. The status of our troops in Iraq is "the same as I announced last January," he said noting that the forces' mission in Al-Nassiriya will be accomplished by the end of 2006. Our military mission will be replaced then with a civilian one that will help rebuild Iraq, Martino added.According to the agenda proposed by Berlusconi's government to the parliament, the number of Italian soldiers in Iraq will be reduced from 2600 to 1600 by mid 2006.
| I'm sure Prodi will have them out long before that. |