President Basescu: "We shall keep our troops in Iraq as long as Baghdad Govt needs them"

(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ - Jun 21, 2005)

Bucharest, June 21 – In an interview with 'Radio Delta', President Traian Basescu said regardless a possible public debate on the country's military presence in Iraq, Romania will keep its promise to the international coalition.

Basescu said that Romanian troops will stay in Iraq "until Baghdad Govt will say it no longer need our military presence on the territory."

As about French President thanking Romania for help in rescuing kidnapped journalist Florence Aubenas, President Basescu said "We should not overstress this issue. The French authorities hold the merit of freeing the journalist – but yet we had a good collaborative work."

Romania Report