Fed: Spain, Honduras 'wrong' to pull out of Iraq: Downer

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2004
Fed: Spain, Honduras 'wrong' to pull out of Iraq: Downer

BRISBANE, April 21 AAP - Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today said Spain and Honduras
had done the wrong thing in pulling troops out of Iraq.

"It is quite the wrong thing to do for Spain to withdraw their troops and the Honduran
units were integrated with the Spanish troops and they are withdrawing as well," Mr Downer
told ABC Radio in Brisbane.

"But to panic and cut and run, and to leave Iraq in a state of anarchy for terrorists,
is quite the wrong thing to do."

Australia could not pull out of the war-ravaged country until the Iraqi police and
military were properly re-established, Mr Downer said.

Spain had about 1,300 troops in Iraq and Australia around 300.

AAP rad/sc/jv/tnf

KEYWORD: IRAQ DOWNER

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