Generals from more than a dozen countries met in London Thursday to draw up plans for an international military stabilization force for Iraq, Britain's Defense Ministry said.
A British military source said the participants included Germany, which opposed the war but has not ruled out participating in a force if it is authorized by the United Nations.
"It's basically bringing together those who are already on the ground with those who have considered offering to participate," a British Defense Ministry spokesman said, according to Reuters.
He said "14 or 15" countries were participating in the meetings. A British military source told Reuters they included Spain, the Czech Republic and Germany, in addition to the United States, Britain, Australia and Poland which already have troops in Iraq, and "quite a few others."
Polish officials have said they may send 4,000 troops and a general to oversee the force in one of the sectors of Iraq.
Meanwhile, German Defense Minister Peter Struck has rejected a proposal by Warsaw for soldiers from a Polish-German-Danish corps to go to Iraq, but suggested Thursday there were circumstances under which Berlin might be willing to join a force.
"If the U.N. asked NATO for military protection then Germany would also participate in examining the question of who can provide which capabilities," Struck told German radio. (Albawaba.com)
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