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Brown flies in for Baghdad visit | Brown flies in for Baghdad visit |
(10 minutes later) | |
Gordon Brown has arrived in Baghdad on his first visit to Iraq since becoming UK prime minister. | Gordon Brown has arrived in Baghdad on his first visit to Iraq since becoming UK prime minister. |
It comes as Mr Brown is said to be considering a phased reduction of UK troops in Basra, cutting numbers by 2,000 to 3,000 by spring 2008. | It comes as Mr Brown is said to be considering a phased reduction of UK troops in Basra, cutting numbers by 2,000 to 3,000 by spring 2008. |
Mr Brown will hold talks with senior Iraqi politicians including officials from the main sects as well as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. | Mr Brown will hold talks with senior Iraqi politicians including officials from the main sects as well as Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. |
He is also due to meet the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus. | He is also due to meet the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus. |
Heavy guard | |
BBC political correspondent James Hardy said Mr Brown arrived at Baghdad International Airport under heavy guard. | BBC political correspondent James Hardy said Mr Brown arrived at Baghdad International Airport under heavy guard. |
Officials said the purpose of the trip was to gauge the readiness of the Iraq forces to take more control of their own security, he added. | Officials said the purpose of the trip was to gauge the readiness of the Iraq forces to take more control of their own security, he added. |
Mr Brown's visit comes ahead of his Commons statement next week on the future of the British mission in Basra. | Mr Brown's visit comes ahead of his Commons statement next week on the future of the British mission in Basra. |
Britain currently has 5,000 troops stationed at Basra Airport following the pull-out of about 500 from Basra Palace - their last remaining base in the city itself. | |
Plans for a complete UK withdrawal from Basra were rejected. | Plans for a complete UK withdrawal from Basra were rejected. |
But Mr Brown has been advised that once the focus of troops is largely on training and mentoring Iraqi forces, numbers could drop from 5,000 to 3,000. | But Mr Brown has been advised that once the focus of troops is largely on training and mentoring Iraqi forces, numbers could drop from 5,000 to 3,000. |
It is thought British forces are likely to stay in Basra for up to two more years on "overwatch", which involves mentoring and training the Iraqis rather than patrolling. | |
Meanwhile, Britain's consul general in Basra, Richard Jones, has told the BBC that local people fear all-out war could break out between rival militias once Britain has handed over security to local forces. | |
Mr Brown has prepared for many weeks to announce that British troops will finally be able to hand over the last of four provinces to Iraqi forces to control. | |
The Ministry of Defence has already said the handover of Basra province is due this autumn. |