Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvaniya said Georgia does not intend to withdraw its troops from Iraq despite the aggravation of the situation there.

"The participation of the Georgian military contingent in the operation in Iraq is part of Georgia’s obligation to the international coalition," Zhvaniya told reporters on Tuesday.

159 Georgian servicemen left Tbilisi for Baghdad last week.

There are plans to increase the Georgian contingent in Iraq to 500 servicemen within the next few months.

(Interfax 13.iv.04)