Denmark expected to announce Iraq withdrawal

Denmark was expected to announce plans to begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq at a news conference today, Danish media reported.

Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen had earlier said he hoped Denmark would be able to start scaling back its 460-troop contingent this year. He has not yet set a precise timetable.

Today’s news conference in Copenhagen was expected to coincide with a British announcement of a new timetable for the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, the TV2 news channel reported.

The Danish contingent serves under British command in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.