WARSAW, Poland – Poland (search) said Wednesday it will cut its 1,700-troop deployment to Iraq this summer by as many as 300 troops.
Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski (search) said Poland's force in Iraq in the next troop rotation would be "between 1,400 and 1,450."
His remarks came after a meeting with British Defense Secretary John Reid (search) in which they discussed European and global security, just days before Britain takes over the rotating EU presidency for six months.
Poland had said the rotation carried out in July and August would reduce the force by several hundred troops ahead of an expected withdrawal at the start of 2006, but had not given a specific number.
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