Reid plays up prospect of partial UK withdrawal from Iraq
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, Dec 2, IRNA
UK Reid-Iraq
British Defence Secretary John Reid played up the prospect of a partial withdrawal of UK troops from Iraq next year by playing up the military strength of Iraqi security forces during a visit to Basra Friday.
"The rate of development in Iraqi security forces suggests to us that in certain parts of Iraq in the course of next year, the hand over to them to lead operations and then to act in some areas on their own," Reid said.
"There are now something like 212,000 security forces. There are around 120 trained Iraqi army battalions, of which some 80 are now involved in a partnership with the coalition forces fighting alongside it," he said in an interview with BBC radio.
Reid's visit is his second to Iraq after previously traveling to Basra in May shortly after he took over from Geoff Hoon as Defence Secretary.
Prime Minister Tony Blair confirmed last month at a joint press conference with Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi that Britain may finally start to pull its troops out of Iraq in 2006 if local forces are strong enough to keep the peace.
Reports have suggested that the UK is hoping to reduce its military presence in Iraq next from some 8,500 to around 3,000, especially in view of its planned commitment to increase the number of its troops in Iraq.
Reid also praised Iraq's proposals to hold elections on December 15 to create a new permanent government, saying that it represented a "further milestone."
"More than ten million people voted in January, and a constitution has been drafted and passed by the Iraqis, for the Iraqis. The next Iraqi parliament will have a vital role to play in shaping the country's future," he said.
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