Poland, Ukraine rule out taking part in offensive operations in Iraq

Poland and the Ukraine, both part of a Warsaw-led multinational stabilisation force in Iraq, ruled out yesterday taking part in offensive operations in the country.

Polish Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski told a news conference after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Evhen Marchuk that the 9,000-strong force "is not an offensive force, but a stabilisation force."

"The multinational division has adopted as a principle not to carry out offensive operations, but to limit itself to reacting when its soldiers come under armed attack," he said.

At a joint news conference in Warsaw Marchuk concurred, saying the Ukrainian brigade serving under the Polish-led force "was not set up to engage in combat, but to protect channels of communication and public buildings.

"The sixth Ukrainian brigade in Iraq is carrying out a special mission approved by the supreme authorities in Ukraine," he said.

On Thursday the two countries had indicated that they would maintain their troops in Iraq at current levels.

Ukraine has contributed some 1,650 soldiers to the multinational force which is patrolling a large swathe of southern Iraq. Poland has 2,500 of its own soldiers in the force.

Szmajdzinski also told the news conference that NATO defence ministers would hold an informal meeting with their Ukrainian counterpart "probably at the end of May".

"It will be a third informal conference of this kind, covering Ukraine's relations with the alliance, reforms carried out within the Ukrainian armed forces and the transformations being carried out in Ukraine," he added.

Marchuk said Kiev was planning "important changes in its structures and manpower of its army in the coming years."

At the end of March Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that one day hopes to join NATO as it inches away from neighboring Russia, hailed the expansion of the transatlantic alliance as a "key element" for European security.