WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (AFP) - Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell may discuss the planned withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Iraq when he travels to Kiev for the inauguration of President-elect Viktor Yushchenko this weekend, US officials said Friday.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said no final schedule had been set for Powell's stay in Kiev for Sunday's ceremonies and it wasn't clear how much time he would have for bilateral talks.
But the Ukrainian pullout from Iraq "may be a subject that comes up if we do have a chance to have some discussion," Boucher said. He gave no further details.
Ukraine's outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, issued an order on January 10 calling for his country's more than 1,600 troops in Iraq to be withdrawn within six months after a blast killed eight soldiers.
Powell, who bade the State Department farewell on Wednesday after four years as the chief US diplomat, remained at the helm when the Senate confirmation vote for his designated successor, Condoleezza Rice, was delayed until next week.
01/21/2005 19:32 GMT - AFP