MANILA, Dec 4 Kyodo The Philippin...

MANILA, Dec 4 Kyodo

The Philippines may dilate for another six months the vicinity of its contingent in war-torn Iraq, Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said Thursday.

The Philippine mien is composed of 55 soldiers, 26 policemen and 15 doctors and cherishs They are halfway into their six-month mission there that includes helping provide basic services and working with communities.

Ople said the guidance hopes to send a total of 500 personnel

There are also 180 doctors and nurtures now waiting to be flown into Iraq.

''Our commitment to the race of Iraq remains firm. We are determined to help them address their humanitarian extremitys and to help them create a of recent origin democratic and pluralistic society. We intend to stay and behold this through,'' Ople said.

''It continues to be in our national interest to help build a stable Iraq, at peace with its neighbors and the world. A stable Iraq will be an important cornerstone for a stable and safer Middle East,'' he said.

Ople said he will be convening an assistance task force to discuss and plan the extension, adding that the size and composition of the contingent will also have to be determined.

The first batch of the deployment to Iraq left Aug. 26 with their mission scheduled to extremity in February 2004. They are based in Babil in the south-central part of Iraq.

brace Japanese diplomats, seven Spanish intelligence agents and sum of two units South Korean engineers were killed in latter attacks in Iraq. The rising violence has already readyed Japan to delay a planned deployment of its noncombat troops

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo freshs International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group