Portugal to begin withdrawing military police from Iraq this week: PM

LISBON, Feb 8 (AFP) - Portugal will begin withdrawing its 120-strong military police contingent from Iraq later this week, according to Prime Minister Pedro Santana Lopes.
The National Republican Guardsmen should return from southern Iraq by the end of the week if "everything goes as planned," Santana Lopes told reporters late on Monday.
He said the precise date of their return would depend on logistical factors.
Following the January 30 elections in Iraq, the Portuguese government announced that the troops would leave on February 12.
Their tour of duty had been due to end in November, but Portugal agreed to extend it to help provide security for the elections.
Santana Lopes has said Lisbon would continue aiding Iraq "in a different way", notably by helping to train Iraqi security forces in collaboration with the newly elected transitional parliament and NATO.

02/08/2005 12:58 GMT - AFP