Tue Mar 16, 6:10 PM ET
By FREDDY CUEVAS, Associated Press Writer
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - Honduras will withdraw its 370 troops from a Spanish-led humanitarian and peacekeeping brigade in Iraq (news - web sites) this summer - a previously scheduled move that coincides with Spain's planned pullout, top Honduran officials said Tuesday.
El Salvadoran leaders, meanwhile, said they would consider keeping their 380 troops in place beyond a summer deadline for withdrawal if asked by the United States. That could change after Sunday's presidential elections, however: A leftist candidate who is trailing slightly behind the ruling party's conservative politician, has said he would withdraw Salvadoran soldiers if he wins.
Earlier Tuesday, Honduran Defense Secretary Federico Breve said the country would withdraw its troops at the end of June, and that the decision "coincided" with the timing of Spain's troop withdrawals.
President Ricardo Maduro later clarified those remarks, emphasizing that Honduras had always planned to pull the troops out when their mission expired June 30.
"I want to make this clear: Seven months ago I went to Congress to ask for permission to send troops to Iraq ... and that permission expires in July and coincides with the date when Iraq will get its new government," he said.
"Only if the United Nations (news - web sites) asks for it will Honduras re-evaluate its military participation in Iraq. But as things are now, I don't intend to ask Congress for an extension."
Socialist Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who won Spain's elections Sunday, has called the Iraq invasion an error, and said he would recall Spanish troops by June 30 unless the United Nations assumes control of multinational military operations there.
There has been no talk thus far of the United Nations doing so. Spain had been expected to extend its troop missions in Iraq under the former government.