By Elinor Blair - 17th March 2005
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi intends to keep his reputation as a loyal ally of the US despite his decision to pull troops out of Iraq.
Berlusconi and Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini have been keen to play down the decision which has been unwelcome news to both the US and UK.
The Italian leader revealed the news of withdrawal on a TV chat show saying, "a progressive reduction of the presence of our soldiers will start from September."
But following a telephone call to US President George W. Bush, Berlusconi backtracked saying that as yet there is no fixed date for withdrawal and that September is only a wish.
“If the US have an ally they can count on, it is Italy,” said Berlusconi according to national newspaper la Repubblica.
Meanwhile Il Sole24Ore reports that Gianfranco Fini emphasised that the decision on troop withdrawal will be taken together with the allies.
He said that Italy will leave only when security in Iraq is guaranteed.
Berlusconi has been under increasing domestic pressure to pull his troops out of Iraq following the killing of senior intelligence officer Nicola Calipari by US troops earlier in the month.
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