Italian foreign minister in Iraq to discuss withdrawal

Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema today travelled to Iraq to discuss plans for a complete pull-out of Italian troops.

The visit to Baghdad, including talks with the Iraqi premier and foreign minister, comes two days after an attack on an Italian military convoy that killed a soldier and wounded four others.

Premier Romano Prodi’s centre-left government is working out the details of a complete withdrawal from Iraq, where Italy has about 2,700 troops.

The premier told parliament yesterday that the attack would not speed up Italy’s pull-out plans, which are being discussed with allies and Iraqi authorities.

D’Alema is also scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington next week to discuss the pull-out.