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US Iraq move 'will not affect UK' US Iraq move 'consistent with UK'
(about 1 hour later)
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett has played down the likely impact of America's decision to send 20,000 extra troops to Iraq on British operations. The US plan to send 20,000 extra troops to Iraq is "entirely consistent" with the UK's aim of removing "thousands" of soldiers, the defence secretary says.
She told MPs the effect of the US deployment on British troops in the south would be "somewhat limited". But Des Browne declined to speculate on any timetable for withdrawal.
Mrs Beckett has said the UK will not be sending extra troops but she denied any "split" with the US over tactics. Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett played down the likely impact of America's decision to send in more troops, mainly to the Baghdad area.
Defence secretary Des Browne told MPs the UK would reduce troop numbers by "thousands" in the coming months. The effect on British soldiers - mainly based around Basra - would be "somewhat limited", she told MPs.
But he declined to "speculate" about a timetable or give numbers to protect the "operational security of those who are deployed into the south-east" of Iraq. 'No split'
"As soon as I am in a position to say to Parliament what we are doing, then I will," he told MPs. Mr Browne said the UK would reduce troop numbers by "thousands" in the coming months, but declined to give any detailed numbers, to protect the "operational security of those who are deployed".
Direction "As soon as I am in a position to say to Parliament what we are doing, then I will," he told a special joint session of the commons defence committee and the foreign affairs committee.
Mr Browne and Mrs Beckett were addressing a special joint session of the commons defence committee and the foreign affairs committee. Mrs Beckett told the MPs there had been no "split" over tactics.
Mrs Beckett said she fully supported US President George Bush's decision to send extra troops, which she stressed was jointly taken with the Iraqi government. She said she fully supported US President George Bush's decision.
The foreign secretary has said she does not expect British troops will be sent to Baghdad and the surrounding areas to reinforce US troops. "Obviously it's an issue that people will look at but I would say that it's a change of direction, as the president says, for the United States and doesn't necessarily imply a change of direction for us," Mrs Beckett added.
She told MPs the impact of the US decision would not adversely affect British operations in Basra and the south. She said there was "not a fundamental difference in our approach".
"Obviously it's an issue that people will look at but I would say that it's a change of direction, as the president says, for the United States and doesn't necessarily imply a change of direction for us," she told MPs. Mrs Beckett earlier dismissed press reports that 3,000 British troops would be brought home by May as "speculation".
Asked if the allies were split over tactics, with the UK planning to bring troops home as the US was increasing numbers, she said there was "not a fundamental difference in our approach". 'Misunderstanding'
Mr Bush had said increasing troops at this stage Baghdad "could hasten the day" US troops can return home, she added. Prime Minister Tony Blair also rejected any suggestion Britain was at odds with US policy.
'Speculation' He told West Country ITV: "It is really important that we don't either give that impression or have that misunderstanding
Mrs Beckett said the Iraqi government was "anxious" to take more control as President Bush has called on it to do. "The conditions in Baghdad are very different from those in Basra.
"It has been increasingly clear that the Iraqis want to have the transfer of responsibility, that they are pushing for faster and greater transfer of responsibility to themselves. "In Basra we don't have the same threat from al-Qaeda, we don't have the same sectarian violence to anything like the same degree, and we don't have the same insurgency."
"It is not something that is being driven or forced on them by us or anybody else."
Mrs Beckett earlier dismissed press reports 3,000 British troops would be brought home by May as "speculation".
On Wednesday, Mr Bush announced extra US troops to fight alongside Iraqi units to end violence in Baghdad and Anbar province - where he said al-Qaeda terrorists were planning to take control.On Wednesday, Mr Bush announced extra US troops to fight alongside Iraqi units to end violence in Baghdad and Anbar province - where he said al-Qaeda terrorists were planning to take control.
'Sceptical'
But the US commitment to Iraq was "not open-ended", he said, adding that he expected the Baghdad government to fulfil its own promises.But the US commitment to Iraq was "not open-ended", he said, adding that he expected the Baghdad government to fulfil its own promises.
Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was not convinced about the US plan, saying previous attempts to secure Baghdad that way had failed. Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "sceptical" about the US plan and that he would prefer more emphasis on training and equipping Iraqi forces.
He told the BBC the long-term presence of US troops in Iraq had fuelled the insurgency, and he would prefer more emphasis on training up and equipping Iraqi forces to take on more security duties.
He added: "I'm sceptical about the policy and the impact of sending more American troops to Iraq."