"I believe that at the end of 2006, our forces will be able to gradually replace the international forces," he told a joint press conference here with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"It is legitimate for you to think about withdrawing your troops, but it must be done gradually and in consultation with the Iraqi government," Talabani said.

"A rapid and unscheduled withdrawal of international forces would be a catastrophe," he cautioned.

Talabani, who is on a six-day visit to Rome, also warned against an early Italian pullout in a letter to the La Stampa newspaper on Monday.

"A premature withdrawal would be a disaster for the Iraqi people and a victory for terrorism," he wrote, at the start of a visit which includes talks with Berlusconi, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Pope Benedict XVI.

Italy has some 3,000 soldiers in southern Iraq near Nasiriyah, despite the opposition of most of the Italian people, and their withdrawal has become a hot electoral campaign issue five months out from parliamentary elections.

Although the left-wing opposition says it would immediately withdraw all Italian troops if elected, Talabani said he "was not worried" about a change in government in Italy on April 9.

"The Italian government has the right to bring back its troops, but as the proverb says, you should finish what you start.

Berlusconi implicitly confirmed his intention to keep Italian troops in Iraq telling Talabani: "As you say, our withdrawal would be a catastrophe."

He also reiterated his reservations over the US-British military intervention and said Italy had taken no part in the war.

"We did not want war," he said. "I expressed many concerns over military intervention and I said so twice during meetings with President (George W.) Bush and the US administration."

"We worked for two months to try to convince Saddam Hussein to go into exile in Libya."

Berlusconi also refuted press reports that Italian military intelligence had fabricated a dossier on Iraq's uranium purchase from Niger and given it to the US services to help justify the invasion.

"Italy did not participate in a war operation," Talabani agreed.

"War was not the best way, but it was the only way to bring down Saddam Hussein's regime," he added.

The Iraqi president has an audience with the pope on Wednesday.

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