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UK's Basra handover 'completed' UK's Basra handover 'completed'
(20 minutes later)
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the operation to hand over frontline security in Basra to Iraqi troops had been "completed" and been "successful".UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the operation to hand over frontline security in Basra to Iraqi troops had been "completed" and been "successful".
He said Iraqi forces were "in control of frontline security in the city".
Asked about reports he would announce within weeks an effective halving of UK troop number in Iraq, he told the BBC's Sunday AM show: "Let's wait and see."Asked about reports he would announce within weeks an effective halving of UK troop number in Iraq, he told the BBC's Sunday AM show: "Let's wait and see."
The idea had always been to scale down UK troop numbers as Iraqis took over security and policing, he added. He said Iraqi forces were "in control of frontline security in the city".
But he added that there must be enough UK troops "in support and in reserve" to help Iraqi forces if required.
It's actually been successful as an operation and as a result of that there's reconstruction that's come in behind it and we've been able to make real progress Tony Blair
The idea had always been to scale down UK troop numbers as Iraqis "scaled up" their capabilities in terms of security and policing, he said.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told MPs last month that the prime minister would make a statement to the House of Commons when the operation was completed.
During that Commons debate on Iraq she said the operation was going well, but did not put any timescale on its conclusion beyond saying this "spring".
Progress
Defence sources have said the plan was to hand over frontline security to Iraqi forces and then withdraw UK forces to a base outside Basra.
There has been speculation their numbers could be as much as halved, although Mrs Beckett said it would be up to military chiefs to decide how many would be needed to be kept to support the Iraqi forces.
And Mr Blair urged caution over Sunday newspaper reports that UK troop numbers in Iraq could be halved.
But he said: "It is absolutely true, as we have said for months, that as the Iraqis are more capable down in Basra of taking control of their own security we will scale down.
"But you've got to make sure you have sufficient forces in support and in reserve to be able to help the Iraqis if a particular problem arises."
He added: "The issue is the operation that we have been conducting in Basra is now complete and that operation has specifically been to put the Iraqi forces in the main frontline control of security within the city.
"It's actually been successful as an operation and as a result of that there's reconstruction that's come in behind it and we've been able to make real progress."