Spain's cabinet approved plans on Friday to dispatch 1,300 soldiers to help keep the peace in Iraq. The Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo told a news conference that the cabinet had taken the decision to send the troops for an initial period of six months.
Poland said last month that Spain had agreed to join its 8,000-strong stabilization force which will be in charge of one of four zones in Iraq.
Trillo tried to calm Spaniards' fears that the troops would be in serious danger since U.S. forces are coming under almost daily attacks in Iraq.
The south-central region the Spanish troops are going to deploy in seemed calm and the troops, mainly drawn from Spain's Foreign Legion, were the most suitable as they had experience of working in hot climates and on multinational missions, he said.
But, he said: "No international mission carried out (by Spanish forces) so far has stopped having risks, especially at the beginning."
The first shipment of equipment for Iraq would leave Spain by ship on Saturday and the Spanish contingent was inclined to be fully operative by the beginning of September, Trillo conveyed. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
