Defense and Interior Ministers sum up situation in Iraq

"Poles want to command the multinational force in Iraq for 12 months," said Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński in the Sejm yesterday, reporting along with Interior Minister Krzysztof Janik on the situation of Polish troops in Iraq and possible terrorist treats. He believes that Polish soldiers will be engaged on the stabilization mission until the end of 2004, but added that after free elections in Iraq, Polish forces would be significantly reduced. Szmajdziński also said that the last province of the Polish sector in Iraq still controlled by the Americans, Nadżaf, would be taken over within ten days. Interior Minister Janik declared in turn that so far there is no evidence that Poland is endangered by any potential terrorist attack and assured that appropriate agencies, "are alert all the time". (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) M.K.