Italy could pull its contingent
from Afghanistan within a year, defence ministry sources said
Monday - but Foreign Minister Enzo Moavaro Milanesi said this
was the first he had heard of it.
"(Defence) Minister (Elisabetta) Trenta has instructed the
Interforce Operating Command (COI) to assess the start of
planning to withdraw the Italian contingent in Afghanistan," the
sources said.
"The time frame could be 12 months," they said.
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement's (M5S) MPs on
parliamentary foreign affairs committees welcomed Trenta's
decision as "very positive".
M5S No2 Alessandro Di Battista hailed the reported move as
"splendid news".
But League sources said "let's do what is needed to restore
peace and stability. At the moment no decision has been taken
but only an assessment by the competent minister".
The M5S and the League are the two government partners.
Trenta's request to assess the pullout was "shared with the
premier's office", government sources said Monday evening.
The Trump administration's announcement late last month that
it wanted to halve US troops in Afghanistan from 14,000 to 7,000
had repercussions on Italian plans for a reconfiguration of its
own 800-strong contingent, sources said Monday.
A reduction had already been envisaged but thus far a
complete closure of the mission had not been discussed, they
said.
Italian soldiers have been in Afghanistan since 2003.
Asked about Trenta's reported move, Moavero said "I'm learning
of this now, that she reportedly said it today. She didn't talk
to me about it".
"As soon as I get back to Rome," he said on a visit to
Israel, "or as soon as I manage to hear from Minister Trenta,
we'll talk about it again".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA