"A particular interest should be paid to completing the mission in Iraq with success," Belka said, only hours after his predecessor Leszek Miller stepped down and urged that Polish troops leave Iraq as soon as possible but only under a joint agreement with the US-led coalition.

Belka, who has served as his country's finance minister and run economic policy in Iraq for the coalition, said in a speech at the presidential palace the issue of Poland's involvement in Iraq should be resolved "according to Poland's national interest".

His appointment Sunday by President Aleksander Kwasniewski must be approved by the lower house of parliament.

Miller earlier said in an interview with BBC radio after his resignation that Poland should consider withdrawing its nearly 2,500 troops from Iraq as soon as possible.

But, he added, such a scenario would be possible once Iraqis are able "to take over responsibility for their country and also for their security, when there are appropriate conditions for the Iraqi authorities to perform their functions in an appropriate manner.

"One thing is absolutely necessary to understand: Iraq must be a country for Iraqis."

Pressed on the conditions under which Poland would withdraw forces, he replied: "It must not be a unilateral decision, it must be done in agreement with the coalition forces, with the British and with the United States."

"It must be a common decision of the coalition powers. Poland shall not make any movement without the agreement of the coalition forces.

"One thing we must remember is that we entered Iraq together and we leave it together."

With almost 2,500 troops in Iraq Poland is one of the major contributors to the international coalition force in Iraq and commands a zone south of Baghdad at the head of a force reduced to 6,500 soldiers since the withdrawal of Spanish and Latin American forces.

A recent opinion poll showed growing opposition among Poles to their country's military involvement in Iraq.

bur-dr-jz/tm

WAR.WIRE