Europe's support for US on Iraq falls

In the space of just a few months, Bush's more faithful allies in central and Eastern Europe have one by one begun a complete or partial withdrawal of their troops from Iraq.

Yet, only two years ago, the heads of former communist bloc countries were prepared to brave the irritation of France and Germany, standing firmly at the United States' side.

Recognising the role played by Washington in helping fall of communism, they were sympathetic to the Bush crusade for freedom.

But the Bush regime has remained largely ungrateful for their efforts.

So now even Bulgaria, which orchestrated Eastern Europe's support for the campaign against Saddam Hussein, announced on Thursday that it would reduce its presence in Iraq by 100 soldiers at the end of June.

Bulgarian Defence Minister Nicolas Svinarov said his government would examine the question of the withdrawal before the end of March.

The Baltic former Soviet republic of Latvia already reduced its small contingent in November, Hungary has withdrawn all its 300 troops and Poland cut its troops at the time of the Iraqi parliamentary elections on January 30, from 2,400 soldiers to 1,700.

Poland, which controls a zone to the south of Baghdad, predicts that it will recall several hundred more troops from July.

East European governments have played down their decisions.

"This is not a political decision, the contingent's reduction was dictated by practical reasons," Latvia's Defence Minister Atis Slakteris said.

And Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski used the Iraqi elections to claim that a new era had begun for the country.

Anxious to hold on to one of its better allies in Europe, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice quietly accepted Poland's arguments. Less diplomatic was her Danish counterpart Per Stig Moeller, who harshly criticised Poland.