Zapatero orders Spanish pullout from Iraq

Spain's new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said yesterday he had given orders for Spain's 1,300 troops in Iraq to be brought home as soon as possible.

The announcement, made in a televised speech, came just one day after Mr Zapatero was sworn in after the Socialists' upset victory in March 14 general elections.

He said he had given Defence Minister Jose Bono "the order to do what is necessary for the Spanish troops in Iraq to come home in the shortest time and in the greatest safety possible."

Mr Zapatero had caused controversy with his election campaign pledge to bring home the Spanish troops if the United Nations did not take charge in Iraq by June 30.

US President George W. Bush has urged Spain and other allies in Iraq to stick with Washington.

"According to the information we have... it is not likely that a UN resolution will be adopted that will meet the conditions we have set for our presence in Iraq," Mr Zapatero said.

Spain intends to withdraw its troops from Iraq within 15 days, the new Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, was quoted as saying later yesterday.

"(Egyptian Foreign Minister) Ahmed Maher received a telephone call today from... the new Spanish foreign minister. He briefed him on the Spanish prime minister's intention to announce the withdrawal of Spanish forces from Iraq and that this (the withdrawal) will happen within 15 days," the official Egyptian news agency MENA reported.

An Egyptian foreign ministry official confirmed the report.