(ANSA) - Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi reiterated here on Saturday that Italy has no plans to unilaterally withdraw its forces from Iraq. Speaking at the Bari International Trade Fair, the
premier said: "We are not that 'little' Italy which would begin a war on one side and finish it on the other. What the French used to call 'tout jours les Italians'. We are a coherent Italy, loyal to our allies."
"In Iraq, as in Afghanistan and other countries, we have sent in professional soldiers, not draftees, people who have no desire to stay home and take care of their children but who have a love for adventure," he added.
Italy had about 3,300 troops in Iraq until recently.Authorities have said the force will fall to about 3,000 by the end of this month. This has begun to happen already, with 130 soldiers who finished their term of duty on August 13 not being replaced.
In his address, Berlusconi also highlighted the turnaround record in the Italian economy in the second quarters, which ended a recession brought on by two quarters of negative GDP growth, and said that 2006 will see a stronger recovery.
