Poland liberal Donald Tusk sworn in as PM

WARSAW, Poland, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Donald Tusk pledged to work for that most important to Poles -- their health, salaries and public safety -- as he was sworn as Poland's new prime minister.

Tusk's liberal, pro-EU coalition government took office Friday. Tusk, 50, asked Polish President Lech Kaczynski for support and cooperation, Polish Radio reported.

Kaczynski, whose presidential terms expires in 2010, congratulated Tusk and his two-party Cabinet.

Tusk's center-right Civic Platform and the centrist Peasant Party, led by Waldemar Pawlak, has the stated goal of improving relations with the European Union and intensifying economic reforms at home.

Tusk also pledged to withdraw Poland's 900 troops from Iraq, Deutsche Welle reported.

The 18-member Tusk Cabinet replaced the government of Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the president's twin brother, whose conservative Law and Justice party lost parliamentary elections to the Civic Platform Oct. 21.