About 62% of the population consider that Romania should pull back its troops from Iraq, as the country had little to gain out of the military’s presence there, according to a Gallup poll released on Thursday.

23% of the interviewees want the pullback take place immediately, 23% until the end of the year, and 16% by the end of 2007. Only 27% agree with the Romanian troops operating in Iraq.

31% of the Romanians consider that the Romanian troops in Iraq have brought significant benefits to Romania, while 40% say that the country has had little gains out of it. 34% say that the troops’ withdrawal will not affect Romania’s relations with the EU, 22 % believe it would improve, while 33% consider this would worsen the relations.

As far as the relations with the USA are concerned, most of the respondents say they will be damaged, however, 47% say that the Supreme Defence Council took a good decision by rejecting the Liberal withdrawal proposal.

60% of the Romanians want a public debate on the topic.

The poll was carried out via telephone, within 305 July, on 850 subjects.