Polish stabilization force to number 1500 and cover central-southern Iraq

Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdziński announced yesterday that Polish stabilization forces are to cover a sector of Iraq between Baghdad and Basra. "We agreed that the Polish division will operate in the upper south of the country, and we have already began negotiations with potential regulators of the district," he said. Szmajdziński added that talks concerning the participation of other countries in the Polish sector will continue until the international conference in Warsaw which is to take place on May 22 and 23. The Minister pointed out that the scale of the operation will require 1,500 soldiers. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1; Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) A.K.