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Britain for troop withdrawal from Iraq?

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Britain was on Monday reported to be exploring a timetable for a gradual withdrawal of its troops from Iraq as Prime Minister Tony Blair reviewed the security situation with visiting Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih.

The meeting came as Defence Secretary Des Browne said he expected the Iraqi forces to take over control of their country's security within a year, leading to a major reduction of British troops.

Echoing his assessment, Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said: "I'd be very surprised if in a year's time there isn't that kind of capacity there for taking on a lot of the work that's done at the moment by the coalition forces." Downing Street denied that Mr. Blair pressed Mr. Salih for an assurance that Iraqi forces in the south would be ready to take over within a year.

It said while a process of "transition and handover'' was going on, British troops would stay on until the job was done.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Salih dismissed the idea of an early pullout by foreign troops saying the international community could not leave Iraqis to "face the difficult challenges on our own".

"There is no option for the international community to cut and run. And the international community must also recognise that they have a partner in Iraq,'' he said.

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