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| UK troops in Basra cut by 1,000 | UK troops in Basra cut by 1,000 |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| UK troops in Basra are to be cut by 1,000 by the end of the year, Gordon Brown has said on a visit to Baghdad for talks with senior politicians. | UK troops in Basra are to be cut by 1,000 by the end of the year, Gordon Brown has said on a visit to Baghdad for talks with senior politicians. |
| Mr Brown also confirmed Basra province could be handed over to full Iraqi control in the next two months. | Mr Brown also confirmed Basra province could be handed over to full Iraqi control in the next two months. |
| Britain currently has about 5,500 troops stationed at Basra Airport. | Britain currently has about 5,500 troops stationed at Basra Airport. |
| Mr Brown, on his first visit to Iraq as UK prime minister, praised the troops for their "great courage, professionalism and bravery". | Mr Brown, on his first visit to Iraq as UK prime minister, praised the troops for their "great courage, professionalism and bravery". |
| 'Difficult job' | 'Difficult job' |
| He said: "What we propose to do over these next few months is to move from a situation where we have a combat role to an overwatch role." | He said: "What we propose to do over these next few months is to move from a situation where we have a combat role to an overwatch role." |
| This would involve the present British force of 5,500 being cut to 4,500 - freeing up the troops for other duties, he said. | This would involve the present British force of 5,500 being cut to 4,500 - freeing up the troops for other duties, he said. |
| "Hopefully they will be home by Christmas," Mr Brown told reporters. | "Hopefully they will be home by Christmas," Mr Brown told reporters. |
| He also announced plans for a new investment agency and development fund for Basra to help regenerate the economy. | He also announced plans for a new investment agency and development fund for Basra to help regenerate the economy. |
| If it is now possible to hand over progressively to the Iraqi army and to bring more of our troops back home, then he will certainly have my support David Cameron, Conservative leader | If it is now possible to hand over progressively to the Iraqi army and to bring more of our troops back home, then he will certainly have my support David Cameron, Conservative leader |
| The prime minister called for a renewed effort by the Iraqi political parties to achieve political reconciliation. | The prime minister called for a renewed effort by the Iraqi political parties to achieve political reconciliation. |
| He added: "I am very proud of what our armed forces are achieving here. I believe they have acted with great courage, professionalism and bravery. | He added: "I am very proud of what our armed forces are achieving here. I believe they have acted with great courage, professionalism and bravery. |
| "We will discharge our obligations to the Iraqi people and to the international community and we will discharge our obligations to our armed forces, who are doing this difficult job." | "We will discharge our obligations to the Iraqi people and to the international community and we will discharge our obligations to our armed forces, who are doing this difficult job." |
| Commons statement | Commons statement |
| Mr Brown landed at Baghdad International Airport under heavy guard on Tuesday morning before being taken by helicopter to the fortified Green Zone. | Mr Brown landed at Baghdad International Airport under heavy guard on Tuesday morning before being taken by helicopter to the fortified Green Zone. |
| Mr Brown was in talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki for an hour. He was also due to meet the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus. | Mr Brown was in talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki for an hour. He was also due to meet the US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus. |
| BBC political correspondent James Hardy said he went straight into meetings before making the surprise announcement that 1,000 troops would be home from Iraq by Christmas. | BBC political correspondent James Hardy said he went straight into meetings before making the surprise announcement that 1,000 troops would be home from Iraq by Christmas. |
| Mr Brown will tell the Commons next week that more still needs to be done in Iraq including political reconciliation and economic regeneration. | Mr Brown will tell the Commons next week that more still needs to be done in Iraq including political reconciliation and economic regeneration. |
| But army figures are warning that a significant force will have to stay indefinitely, our correspondent said. | But army figures are warning that a significant force will have to stay indefinitely, our correspondent said. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has said he would support a withdrawal of some British troops from Iraq if local forces were ready to take over. | Conservative leader David Cameron has said he would support a withdrawal of some British troops from Iraq if local forces were ready to take over. |
| "If it is now possible to hand over progressively to the Iraqi army and to bring more of our troops back home, then he will certainly have my support, " he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "If it is now possible to hand over progressively to the Iraqi army and to bring more of our troops back home, then he will certainly have my support, " he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| Meanwhile, Britain's consul general in Basra, Richard Jones, has told the BBC the dominant feeling among local people was fear. | |
| He said the local police force had been infiltrated by hardline Shi'a militias. | |
| Iraqi residents told the BBC they feared that could mean all-out war between rival militias once Britain hands 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. | 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. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I can't see how 3,000 troops bunkered down in Basra airport could possibly make a difference Mike, London Send us your comments | |
| The Ministry of Defence has already said the handover of Basra province is due this autumn. | The Ministry of Defence has already said the handover of Basra province is due this autumn. |
| Earlier, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said he understood that ministers had discussed a number of other radical options in recent weeks. | Earlier, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said he understood that ministers had discussed a number of other radical options in recent weeks. |
| One was to withdraw British forces from Basra altogether and move them to the relative safety of a US and an Australian base elsewhere. | One was to withdraw British forces from Basra altogether and move them to the relative safety of a US and an Australian base elsewhere. |
| Another was to withdraw troops to a base inside Kuwait. But both options were rejected. | |