Soon: Pact to regulate Estonian, Romanian troop presence

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi government will soon sign an agreement to organize the presence of Estonian and Romanian forces in the country, an official spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday. “In a matter of two or three days, the Iraqi side will reach an agreement that regulates the presence of Estonian and Romanian forces in Iraq,” Maj. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari told IraqiNews.com. On December 28, the Iraqi Presidential Board (PB) ratified resolution no. 50 of the year 2008 authorizing the cabinet to organize the presence of foreign forces and their withdrawal from the country. Estonia has taken part in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq with a squad of 40 troops. Two Estonian soldiers were killed in Iraq in 2004. In August 2003, Romania sent over 5,200 servicemen to Iraq, of which only 600 soldiers remain in the country to provide intelligence support. SS (P) 1