Bush urges allied forces to stay in Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Bush urges allied forces to stay in Iraq

US President George W. Bush on Tuesday urged allied forces to stay in Iraq amid eroding international support for US efforts to rebuild the oil-rich country.

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US President George W. Bush on Tuesday urged allied forces to stay in Iraq amid eroding international support for US efforts to rebuild the oil-rich country.

"It's essential that we remain side by side with the Iraqi people as they begin the process of self-government," Bush told reporters after a meeting with visiting Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende in the White House.

Bush was responding to a question about opinion polls which show that most Dutch people, like Spaniards, also want their troops to withdraw from Iraq.

"I would ask them (the Dutch people) to think about the Iraqi citizens who don't want people to withdraw," he said. "I would remind the Dutch citizens that al Qaida has an interest in Iraqi for a reason."

Balkenende said he shares the same view with Bush and is not prepared to recall Dutch forces from Iraq.

"It is important that the world society, the international community stands shoulder to shoulder and shows its solidarity to fight against these terrible attacks," he said, referring to the multiple bombings which rocked the Spanish capital of Madrid on Thursday, killing 200 people and wounding 1,500 others.

Balkenende said the Netherlands will work together with the United States to fight terrorism when it takes up the presidency of the European Union in the second of this year.

Rodgriguez Zapatero, who was elected prime minister of Spain on Sunday, has vowed that his government will withdraw 1,300 Spanish troops from Iraq by June 30, when the US-led coalition occupation authority returns sovereignty to Iraqis.

Source: Xinhua

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