WARSAW, July 9 (Xinhua) -- A decision whether the tenth shift of Polish troops goes to Iraq will be taken in the autumn, Polish Defense Minister Aleksander Szczyglo said in a radio interview on Monday.

    Although the next group is getting ready for the mission, it has not been decided yet whether it goes or not, Szczyglo said.

    "This decision will depend on few factors. First, it is the U.N. mandate. Second, there must be a request from the Iraqi government which must approve our stay. Of importance is also professionalism of the Iraqi army which is responsible for Iraq's security. And there is also our agreement with our allies in Iraq," Szczyglo was quoted by the Polish PAP news agency.

    Polish troops in Iraq make a rotation semiyearly. On July 7, the first 160 soldiers of ninth shift of Polish troops left for Iraq.

    Currently some 900 Polish soldiers are in Iraq. At the end of last year, Polish President Lech Kaczynski approved prolongation of the mission in Iraq until the end of 2007.