ROME, March 31: Premier Silvio Berlusconi said on Thursday Italy planned to withdraw 300 soldiers from Iraq in September — if the United States and Britain agree. “Before the end of August, thousands of members of Iraq’s security forces will be trained and this will make the presence of certain troops unnecessary,” Berlusconi said on RAI television.

“There is a plan to withdraw 300 troops by September if an agreement is reached between the allies and the Iraqi government,” he said.

Mr Berlusconi made a surprise announcement in early March that Italian troops would start leaving Iraq in September. US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair played down his comments by saying that no troop withdrawal from Iraq has been ordered and that the Italian leader would not act unilaterally.

Mr Berlusconi later clarified that the troops would only leave if agreement was reached among the allies.

Italy’s 3,300-strong Iraq contingent, based in the British-controlled south, is the fourth largest after those of the United States, Britain and South Korea.

Following the statement two weeks ago, Mr Berlusconi was accused — even by members of the center-right coalition — of announcing the withdrawal purely to make electoral gains in regional polls scheduled Sunday and Monday.—AFP