BRUSSELS, March 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The Dutch government has begun its phased pullout of its military personnel from Iraq, Radio Netherlands reported Monday.

    The Netherlands has more than 1,400 troops stationed in Iraq aspart of the stabilization force. The first group of 150 soldiers was welcomed at the Eindhoven air base in southern Holland by Defense Minister Henk Kamp and hundreds of friends and their relatives, the report said.

    The Dutch military forces in Iraq handed over command in the province Al Muthanna to the British troops on March 7. The change of command brings to a close a mission that lasted 20 months.

    The Dutch government, which began to deploy troops to Iraq soonafter the end of the Iraq war in 2003, will complete the military pullout at the end of next month. Enditem