Iraqi Foreign Minister on a three-day visit to Prague

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari arrived in Prague on Monday for a three-day visit to the Czech Republic. He is scheduled to sign an agreement of cooperation with his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg. Mr Zebari said Iraq would welcome if the Czech Republic could continue in training the Iraqi police and wanted to discuss the issue during his visit to Prague.

Some hundred members of the Czech military police trained several thousands of Iraqi border police and customs officials in Iraq from December 2003 until January 2007. Mr Zebari said it was vital for Iraqis to be able to provide for their security in their own right and added that a premature withdrawal of the U.S. troops from Iraq could have a devastating effect on the country.