Poland decides to extend Iraq mission

he Polish government decided on Tuesday to prolong the mission in Iraq by a year until the end of 2007.

The decision will be submitted to President Lech Kaczynski for approval, Polish Presidential Chancellery head Aleksander Szczyglo told the PAP news agency.

He added that most probably the president's final say would be positive in line with the president's earlier announcements.

Polish Deputy Education Minister and head of the co-ruling party League of Polish Families (LPR) caucus Miroslaw Orzechowski said the decision on prolonging the mission could hardly be accepted by the LPR.

Deputy chairman of the Sejm committee for foreign affairs Pawel Spiewak of the polish biggest opposite party Civic Platform (PO) believes that the government "made a very bad decision" directing the said motion to the president.

"The government failed to consult the motion, which may cost Poland a number of lives, with the public opinion and the opposition," the PAP news agency quoted Spiewak as saying.

He stressed that the PO believes Polish soldiers should leave Iraq as soon as possible.

Poland has some 900 soldiers in Iraq who mainly train Iraqi soldiers. The current mission was originally set to last until Dec. 31, 2006.

Source:http:english.people.com.cn