Spain Starts Iraq Troops Pullout, Honduras Follows

"The process has started," Spanish Defense Minister Jose Bono was quoted by Reuters as telling a hastily-arranged news briefing Monday, April19 , after a meeting of the new cabinet under Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

He indicated that the process "will be completed rapidly" over a short period of time.

"Whoever said six to eight weeks was being imprudent because it will be less," the minister maintained.

He declined to give specific dates for security reasons and because the troops had to be told before anyone else.

A military plane left Monday with equipment to help carry out the withdrawal, Bono said.

Originally that flight was to have been for a routine troop rotation, Reuters said.

Zapatero announced Sunday, April18 , that he had given orders to the defense minister to take the necessary measures to guarantee that Spanish troops "are withdrawn from Iraq as soon as possible and with maximum security".

The new premier had vowed following his Socialist Party’s election win last month to bring home all the troops unless they come under U.N. command by June 30 when their mandate expires.

Romano Prodi, European Commission president, praised Spain’s decision, saying it will help heal the European rift created by the U.S.-led war on Iraq.

In a veiled rebuke, U.S. President George Bush stressed to Zapatero over the phone "the importance of carefully considering future actions to avoid giving false comfort to terrorists or enemies of freedom in Iraq".

His National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice expressed fear the Spanish move would make other "coalition" nations with forces in Iraq reconsider their positions.

Spain is commanding troops in Iraq from other Spanish-speaking nations in the U.S.-led occupation — Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

Honduras Follows Suit

Rice’s fears proved grounded after President Ricardo Maduro of Honduras announced that his368 -strong force in Iraq would be pulled out.

He said in a television and radio address the withdrawal would be carried out "in the shortest possible time and under safe conditions for our troops," according to Reuters.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Tuesday, April20 , he would consider bringing home a contingent of about 450 personnel if they were targeted by the relentless Iraqi resistance, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"The safety of Thai troops in Iraq is my first priority, followed by their humanitarian mission," he said.

"We went there to help them [Iraqis], but if we get killed why do we have to stay."

"If we are able to administer medicine or help in rebuilding we will maintain our presence, but we will return if we cannot carry out our duty," stressed the prime minister.

Nicaraguan troops returned home earlier this year as part of a normal rotation but a new contingent has not been sent to the occupied country.