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Dutch Iraqi peacekeeping mission will end in March
Dutch ministers have decided against a gradual withdrawal of the nation's peacekeeping troops from Iraq and the mission will end as planned mid-March, it was reported on Monday. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Foreign Minister Ben Bot and Defence Minister Henk Kamp met on Monday morning to discuss a proposed gradual withdrawal to ensure a vacuum is not left behind in the Dutch patrol area. But a spokesman for Balkenende later told news agency ANP that the soldiers will be definitely withdrawn as planned in March. The full Cabinet will confirm the decision at its weekly meeting on Friday. The Dutch security responsibilities in the patrol area in the southern Iraqi province al-Muthanna will then be handed over to the British in March.
Posted by: Seafarious 2005-01-19 |
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| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=54085 |