EU troika aims to visit Iraq - Germany

BERLIN, Feb 23 (Reuters) German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said today he aimed to visit Baghdad as part of an EU mission during his country's presidency of the bloc.

''We have an invitation to the EU-troika -- that is to a representative of the presidency, the foreign policy chief and the Commission,'' Steinmeier told Saturday's edition of Die Welt, according to an extract released in advance.

The timing would depend on the security situation, he added, saying EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and he agreed the visit should take place ''as soon as the circumstances allow''.

''We are in direct talks with Baghdad about this,'' he said.

Germany, which took over the rotating EU Presidency in January, opposed the U S-led war in Iraq. It has forgiven Iraqi debt and helped train military and police in the United Arab Emirates but has refused to deploy combat troops in Iraq.

Reuters SAM RN0023