"That they deceived us about the weapons of mass destruction, that's true. We were taken for a ride," Kwasniewski told a group of visiting French journalists.

He argued however that it made no sense to pull US-led coalition troops out of Iraq, which he said was "better" without the presence of ousted president Saddam Hussein.

His comments marked the first time Warsaw, or any other key US ally, has publicly criticised Washington's argument for invading Iraq and for winning support from Poland and other European allies such as Britain and Spain.

Kwasniewski stood by his remarks at a press conference later Thursday, although he appeared to take a softer line, arguing that the United States and the other coalition members had also been misled in the run-up to war.

"According to the information at our disposal, the term 'take for a ride' seems to me appropriate," he told reporters following a meeting of the Polish security council.

"It is also a problem faced by the United States, Britain and other countries. We were told that weapons of mass destruction existed in Iraq, that there was a very high probability of them existing. Today this information has not been confirmed," he added.

Kwasniewski said the misleading information had "come from the actions of the intelligence services.

"In that sense, it was a problem for all of us," he added.

Poland heads up a 9,000-strong multinational force patrolling a swathe of Iraq south of Baghdad.

Warsaw itself has the fourth-largest contingent in the coalition, with around 2,500 soldiers.

Kwasniewski's remarks had come days after the prime minister-elect of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, said Madrid would withdraw its 1,300 soldiers from the Polish-led contingent by June 30, unless the United Nations took over administration of Iraq.

The Polish head of state had questioned the wisdom of pulling foreign troops from the strife-torn country saying such a move could have a counter effect.

"What would be the point of pulling the troops if it meant a return to war, ethnic cleansing and conflict in neighboring countries," he said.

"If we protest against the United States' dominant role in world politics and we withdraw our troops knowing they will be replaced by US soldiers, what would be the point of such a move?" he questioned.

He said he was disappointed by the new Spanish government's threat to withdraw its 1,300 soldiers.

"We cannot alter our mission to stabilise Iraq to one to destabilise the country," he said. "Passiveness will lead us nowhere."

The aim of the Polish presence in Iraq was to help "successfully carry out this mission of stabilisation" and succeed in "transferring sovereignty" within Iraq to the Iraqi people, the president stressed.

Kwasniewski on Friday begins a landmark official tour of five countries in the Gulf -- Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar -- with the aim of developing bilateral economic and political relations.

He will be accompanied by Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski and Finance Minister Andrzej Raczko, as well as a delegation of businessmen, official sources said.

Arab diplomatic sources in Warsaw said the trip was aimed at "closening relations with Arab countries since its (Poland's) intervention in Iraq alongside the United States, which caused a certain resentment among some states in the region."

All rights reserved. Copyright 2003 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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