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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brown in talks with Iraqi leaders | Brown in talks with Iraqi leaders |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has been holding talks in Baghdad with Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki and military leaders. | Gordon Brown has been holding talks in Baghdad with Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki and military leaders. |
| The surprise visit comes ahead of a statement next week on Britain's involvement in the country. | The surprise visit comes ahead of a statement next week on Britain's involvement in the country. |
| Key aims are to assess the UK's goals in Iraq such as the holding of local elections and reconstruction, and gauge the prospects for troop withdrawal. | Key aims are to assess the UK's goals in Iraq such as the holding of local elections and reconstruction, and gauge the prospects for troop withdrawal. |
| Plans to halve UK troop numbers to 2,500 by spring were delayed due to violence in Basra at the end of March. | Plans to halve UK troop numbers to 2,500 by spring were delayed due to violence in Basra at the end of March. |
| Numbers had been reduced from 5,000 to 4,000 between October 2007 and the beginning of April. | Numbers had been reduced from 5,000 to 4,000 between October 2007 and the beginning of April. |
| Meeting troops | Meeting troops |
| BBC chief political correspondent James Landale, who is travelling with Mr Brown, said the prime minister's main objective was to judge "how Britain is doing" in achieving its aims, such as the training of Iraqi troops and economic development in the south. | BBC chief political correspondent James Landale, who is travelling with Mr Brown, said the prime minister's main objective was to judge "how Britain is doing" in achieving its aims, such as the training of Iraqi troops and economic development in the south. |
| He said Mr Brown would also be looking at Basra's airport, where most British forces are currently based, to see what more could be done to achieve the "ultimate goal" of handing the base over to civilian rule. | He said Mr Brown would also be looking at Basra's airport, where most British forces are currently based, to see what more could be done to achieve the "ultimate goal" of handing the base over to civilian rule. |
| Discussions on a reduction in violence are also expected. | Discussions on a reduction in violence are also expected. |
| Our correspondent said he did not believe Mr Brown would make any announcements about troop numbers while in Iraq. | Our correspondent said he did not believe Mr Brown would make any announcements about troop numbers while in Iraq. |
| Military commanders have said they expect numbers to be further reduced during the course of 2009, added the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad. | Military commanders have said they expect numbers to be further reduced during the course of 2009, added the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad. |
| At the peak of UK military activity in Iraq, in 2003, there were 26,000 soldiers posted in the country. | At the peak of UK military activity in Iraq, in 2003, there were 26,000 soldiers posted in the country. |
| UN mandate | UN mandate |
| Mr Brown - whose visit was not announced in advance for security reasons - spent just under an hour in talks with Mr Maliki, then with his advisers. He then moved on to the presidential palace for a 20-minute meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. | Mr Brown - whose visit was not announced in advance for security reasons - spent just under an hour in talks with Mr Maliki, then with his advisers. He then moved on to the presidential palace for a 20-minute meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. |
| Mr Brown is also due to meet British troops serving in Iraq. | Mr Brown is also due to meet British troops serving in Iraq. |
| In his last visit in December he thanked troops for their work as he announced the official handover of Basra to Iraqi authorities. | In his last visit in December he thanked troops for their work as he announced the official handover of Basra to Iraqi authorities. |
| This week Iraq and the US called for an agreement on a "general time horizon" for the withdrawal of US troops. | This week Iraq and the US called for an agreement on a "general time horizon" for the withdrawal of US troops. |
| The call came after a video conference between President George W Bush and Mr Maliki. | The call came after a video conference between President George W Bush and Mr Maliki. |
| The UN mandate covering foreign troops in Iraq expires at the end of the year. | The UN mandate covering foreign troops in Iraq expires at the end of the year. |
| The US is negotiating a new bi-lateral agreement to cover their continuing presence, and Britain will have to do the same, said Jim Muir. | The US is negotiating a new bi-lateral agreement to cover their continuing presence, and Britain will have to do the same, said Jim Muir. |