"After January 30, after the parliamentary elections, we want to significantly reduce our presence" in Iraq, the minister told the private radio station Zet.

Poland, which is one of the remaining staunch allies of the United States in its occupation of Iraq, has some 2,400 troops in the country.

It also commands one of the military regions in the war-torn country, with a total of 6,200 troops under its command in the south of Iraq.

Szmajdzinski was interviewed after a key speech on Iraq by US President George W. Bush, who notably failed to give a date for the withdrawal of US forces.

When asked about Bush's silence on how long the US-led coalition would remain in the country, the Polish minister said: "I don't think he could say any more, because now the initiative mostly depends on the diplomats, onSecretary of State) Colin Powell and especially on the foreign ministers of the permanent Security Council members."

That was a reference to a draft United Nations Security Council resolution submitted by Britain and the United States on setting up a sovereign Iraqi government.

The United States has announced that it will hand over power to such a government on June 30, although it is still not clear what powers the new authority will have.

WAR.WIRE